


Bound Together

by Eibon



Category: Soul Eater
Genre: BDSM, Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-14
Updated: 2014-12-14
Packaged: 2018-03-01 11:01:18
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 45,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2770607
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Eibon/pseuds/Eibon
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A secret obsession. An unexpected discovery. A careless misunderstanding.</p><p>She hadn’t wanted him to find out. Not like that, not at all. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. Not then, not ever. Now everything was laid bare and their relationship was spiraling out of control. As Tsubaki finds herself caught between dreams and nightmares, between fantasy and reality, Black Star struggles to rebuild what they once had, haunted by the thought that it may no longer be enough for either of them. Desire can be a difficult thing to control, particularly when what one desires is control.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Caught

**Author's Note:**

> Special thanks to my betas, Bronyboy and AshisBoss, and my artistic collaborator, Vi3009. Thank you for all your help and for inspiring me to publish this.

The Death City Market was a small, rustic general store nestled in the heart of the city. The distinctly old-fashioned construction of the shop, with its visible rafters and hardwood floors, was accented by the wooden shelves and dated brown wallpaper. It stood out like a sore thumb amongst the more modern structures in Death City, but its proximity to the apartments and low prices made it popular among Academy students. Of course this meant that it was often rather crowded.

Today was no exception, as Tsubaki noticed with some disappointment. She couldn't help but think it was particularly busy today as she stood trapped in the middle of an endless line. She tapped one foot rhythmically against the floor, wondering if she had made a mistake. This errand was taking much longer than she had planned. She looked ahead to see the cashier, a cute young girl with pigtails reminiscent of Maka's, frantically scanning the same object over and over again with little success. Even Tsubaki's legendary patience was beginning to wear thin.

She glanced into the wicker basket slung under her arm. It was a random assortment of odds and ends: tissues, a notebook, several candles, clothespins, and some rope. None of it was vitally needed and she could simply pick it up another time. She knew that she should do just that. It was getting late and it wouldn't be long before Black Star was supposed to be back.

And yet Tsubaki remained. Some tiny voice in the back of her mind urged her to remain, to see her task through to the end. That one voice, and the desire behind it, drowned out every rational thought she had at that moment. She tugged at the sleeve of her light blue blouse, anticipation whispering through her very being.

"Hey, Tsubaki!" a voice called out, bringing her train of thought to a stop. She turned to her left to see a familiar pair of blondes approaching.

"Liz, Patty. How are you?"

"Really good!" Patty cried, raising her fists into the air above her head. The young girl was dressed in bright neon pinks and greens, complimenting to her energetic personality. Liz was slightly more subdued with her choice of colors, wearing a deep red top with beige shorts. It was hard to call her less eye-catching, however, considering how much skin she had on display.

Tsubaki smiled. "What brings you two down here?"

"Just picking up a few things," Liz said, hefting up another wicker basket. She leaned in close and added, "And maybe picking up some cute guys while I'm here."

"Sis is a pervert!" Patty said with a giggle as she moved in close to join the 'private' conversation.

"Knock it off!" Liz replied, trying to push her grinning younger sister back. "You'll understand when you're older, Patty. You know what I'm talking about, right Tsubaki?"

Tsubaki blinked and said, "Well, I guess I do." She supposed Patty wasn't really interested in boys just yet.

"You don't have to hide it with me," Liz said, clasping her friend's hands in her own. "We're kindred spirits, you and I."

"Huh?" Tsubaki asked. One eyebrow rose up on her bewildered face. Liz's bizarre declaration and familiarity with Tsubaki seemed to be attracting the attention of several individuals, mostly men, standing around them. While Tsubaki did not share their specific misunderstanding, she was no closer to understanding what she meant.

Liz continued on as though unaware of her confusion. "I've already made a list of all the hottest guys in Death City. Just give the word and the two of us will drive this town crazy."

"Oh!" Tsubaki said, realization setting in. Much to her chagrin, Liz seemed to remember her defeat in the Book of Eibon's test of lust. She could feel her face grow hotter. "I appreciate the offer but I just don't think I could do something like that."

"Come on, a gorgeous girl like you? We could have so much fun out there together!" Her words didn't seem to end the misunderstanding amongst the surrounding crowd listening in.

"Woo! Party time,” Patty cried out, misunderstanding her sister's intent in a completely different way.

Tsubaki shook her head as politely as she could and said, "No really, I'm just not that kind of girl." Every man in line around them audibly sighed.

"Oh fine. But if you ever change your mind, feel free to give me a call." Liz casually cast her gaze on Tsubaki's basket. "So what are you picking up?"

"N-nothing!" she cried, pivoting to the right nearly on instinct. She awkwardly tried to shield her basket while looking like she wasn't and added, "I mean nothing important."

Liz smirked. "Reeeally," she said in a voice she reserved for mischief. She moved behind her to try and sneak a peek. "So you wouldn't mind if I took a look in there?"

"Yes! I mean no! I mean, er..." Tsubaki trailed off as she swung her basket from one side to the other, trying to keep the bundle out of reach. "Really, it's nothing important," she said even as it became increasingly apparent that this was not the case.

Liz continued trying to grab the basket, knowing full well that her current tactics would not succeed. However, she also knew that Tsubaki was completely unaware of her wily sister, who was sneaking up right underneath her nose. "Well if that's how you feel, I guess I'll just- Now, Patty!"

"RAWR!" Patty cried like a lion as she charged Tsubaki, who had just enough time to lift the basket into the air over her head. Undeterred, Patty began tickling the raven-haired girl's sides with reckless abandon.

"Hehehehe! Patty, wait I- ha-ha!" Tsubaki tried to say as Liz joined in, tickling her just under her raised arms. She desperately attempted to keep her arms up against the combined assault of the Thompsons. Unfortunately, struggling in such a precarious position was a battle she was destined to lose. Tsubaki felt the basket drop out of her hands and soon after found herself falling backwards towards Liz, sending all three girls tumbling to the ground.

The pigtailed cashier looked down the aisle, intending to call for the next customer. Instead, she just looked in confusion at the pile of girls collapsed on the floor. "Um, are you okay?" she asked.

"Got it!" Patty cried, triumphantly hefting a box of tissues into the air from on top of a giggling Tsubaki, who was sprawled out on top of Liz.

"It occurs to me," Liz said, "that this might have gotten out of hand."

 

\\\\\

 

Tsubaki hurried back home feeling more than a little embarrassed by the events at the market. She couldn't help but feel foolish for reacting so suspiciously. The contents of her basket were completely innocuous and even Liz expressed disappointment that she hadn't found anything 'juicy' amongst her things. Although she could have sworn she saw Liz flinch ever so slightly when she saw the rope in her basket.

The encounter had left Tsubaki shaken and even more apprehensive about her plan. And yet that same fear of being discovered, of being attacked and subdued by the Thompson sisters, only seemed to spur her on further. The tiny voice that had been whispering in her head now seemed to be shouting with excitement. She could no more disobey it than a butterfly could disobey its instinct. And that's exactly how she felt as she wandered back home through the dimming light of evening: like a butterfly caught in migration.

She opened the door to her apartment and stepped into the darkened entryway. Her movements were soft and silent as she crept through the residence checking for her roommates. In this household one could never be certain someone wasn't playing a game of hide-and-seek. At last she came to the bedroom she shared with Black Star. Though it appeared empty, she chose to take one last precaution.

"Hello?" she said. "Is anyone here?" No voice called out to greet her. Nothing shuffled awkwardly in an attempt to hide. She was completely and utterly alone.

She was trembling as she closed the bedroom door and set her purchases down on her dresser. By the time she was stripping out of her clothes she could barely contain herself. Her demeanor shifted from carefully folding her capris on her sleeping mat to hastily tossing her blouse onto the same mat.

She caught sight of herself in the mirror, nearly nude save for a set of lacy, baby blue lingerie. For a moment she looked over her reflection, turning this way and that to change her view. She contemplated leaving the lingerie on but decided against it. It would be unfortunate if her clothes got hurt. Besides she didn't like the idea of anything obstructing her skin.

It was only after she'd unclasped her bra and shimmied out of her bottoms that Tsubaki turned her attention back to the basket. She reached in and pulled out the thick bundle of ivory rope. The braided strands were rough but supple as she pressed her fingers against them. They felt absolutely perfect.

Tsubaki couldn't quite remember when she had developed a fascination with rope. Even as a child she could recall making a game of tying herself up. Of course it had always been a secret; one that she was thankful had not been exposed by recent events. She couldn't help but wonder what Liz would think if she knew what her victory in the trial of lust had really been about.

She idly began to wrap a bit of rope around her arm, a deep sigh escaping her lips as it dug into her flesh. She needed to feel it all over her body, binding her, caressing her. Slowly, she wound the rope around her torso with an expertise brought on by years of experience. It pulled across her stomach and over her back in a curious pattern. She looped it around her breasts, squeezing them as she tightened her grip. She shuddered as the rope ran between her legs. She couldn't help but pause to massage her stiffening nipple.

A strong, simple knot between her breasts connected the rope and completed the array. Not that she was finished yet. She pulled out a new bundle and began to bind her legs together, starting with the knees. Around her ankles she tied off a loop but left half a foot of rope that ended in a loose cinch noose.

Her work nearly completed, she reached into her dresser to pull out a white cloth. She created a large knot in the center and placed it in her mouth before tying it off behind her head. It was a relatively innocuous detail but she couldn't help but feel it heightened the excitement of her playtime. Finally, she rolled onto her belly with her knees bent into the air. Her hands reached back and pulled through the cinch noose before she tugged on the rope with both her arms and legs. The noose pulled tight and bound her hands to her ankles. Voila, one hogtied Tsubaki!

She began to put her handiwork to the test, pulling on the bindings. The rope work was tight but it couldn't prevent her from wriggling around. Not that she actually wanted to escape. She simply wanted to feel the resistance of the rope, to struggle against her bonds. It was this feeling of desperation, this helplessness that she found so enticing.

The ropes held fast against her attempts. They pinched her flesh, sending electric pleasure like fireworks throughout her body. Every once in a while the rope work would brush against one of her more sensitive spots, causing Tsubaki to moan into her gag in a sweet mixture of desperation and ecstasy.

She imagined what it would be like if someone found her like this, naked and vulnerable, wrapped up like a Christmas present. She thought of Liz and Patty coming across her like this, wondering what her friends would think of her. Her thoughts quickly turned to Maka or even Black Star stumbling upon her in this state.

The idea of such embarrassment and humiliation drove Tsubaki to the edge of sexual excitement. She bit down into her gag as she shook in orgasmic pleasure. The outside world became like static as warm light broadcast through her entire being.

As reality came back into focus she found Black Star standing in the doorway, staring at her with a slight gape.

There was only one second of silence where neither of them did anything, too confused or embarrassed by the situation to react. Tsubaki would most assuredly disagree with that fact, though. She perceived that single second as more of an ageless eternity of shame.

The moment of peace came to a violent end as Tsubaki shape-shifted into a small black orb and exploded. The ropes that had been binding her fell to the ground in a heap as a blanket of smoke covered the bedroom.

"Black Star! I-I was changing!" she said, her voice echoing through the smoke.

"Actually you were naked and tied-up," Black Star said rather matter-of-factly. The grey cloud covering the room rapidly swirled to a point behind the door, where it reformed into Tsubaki's human form.

"Get out!" she said as she pushed the door closed without regard for him. Her mind was racing as she walked back to her mat. Black Star, her friend, her partner, had seen her like that. Not simply nude but bound up and writhing with animal lust. She felt her face grow hot and her eyes begin to water.

She took in a deep breath and tried to focus herself. She needed to face her partner about this, but not before she was dressed again. At least she would have some time to think about what she’d say.

Tragically, this was not to be as Black Star chose to force the door open with an energetic shout.

"Okay, where are they?" he demanded, his fists up and a determined scowl on his face. He looked ready to fight an army yet was unprepared for a single shuriken thrown by his partner. The attack caught him in the forehead and knocked him to the ground.

"Where are who?" Tsubaki asked as she tried to cover herself with her arms.

He came back up and yanked the throwing star from his head with a grunt. "The guys who tied you up," he said, rubbing his forehead. "You missed them, by the way."

"I…" She blinked. Had he really not understood? Was this her way out? "Well you see," she said, "they, I mean, they were here, but, um…" Her gaze shifted around the room but his eyes remained glued on her, waiting for a name or a direction or someone to hit.

She sighed. She had no lie she could tell him and she certainly wasn't going to pin this on some poor innocent. All she wanted was for this excruciating moment to end. "Actually, there wasn't anyone else here. I, um, just sort of tied myself up."

He narrowed his eyes as he looked from her to the ropes. "Wait, that doesn’t make sense. How would you..." He was silent for a time, the gears slowly turning in his head. His eyes began to widen and his face grew bright red. "Oh," he said at last before hastily turning his gaze away from her. "I should go."

"Mm-hmm," she murmured in agreement. He closed the door and she hung her head, alone and mortified.

 

\\\\\

 

"Tsubaki," a soft, inquisitive voice said. "Earth to Tsubaki? Hello, anyone there?"

Tsubaki blinked as she snapped back to reality. She turned and said, "Oh! I'm sorry, could you repeat the question?"

Maka Albarn smirked as she walked alongside her friend. "I asked if you had figured out how you were going to get back at Black Star yet."

She froze in place on the cobblestone street. "What!?" she cried, her voice taut. "W-what are you talking about?"

Maka's mouth hung open, the reply lingering on her tongue for a confused moment. "For ditching your training session earlier."

"Oh," she said. She took in a few deep breaths before adding, "Of course."

"Are you feeling okay?" the blonde asked, a frown on her face. "You've been acting spacey all day."

She brought a hand to her forehead as her brow furrowed. "I'm really not sure," she said. She motioned towards a nearby bench with a back shaped like two interlocking death masks. "Do you mind if we sit down for a minute?"

Maka nodded emphatically and said, "It's no problem. I've got plenty of time before I need to meet with Soul." They strolled over to the bench where Tsubaki sat down wearily. Maka waited expectantly as her friend simply stared ahead in silence.

Tsubaki's thoughts turned back to her overwhelming concern of the day: Black Star. Of course she knew that she couldn’t avoid him forever. The fact that she'd managed to evade him for half a day was a miracle. But what on earth would she say to him? What did he think of her now? Nightmare scenarios flooded her mind, making it difficult to remember she wasn't alone.

She put on her best smile and said, "Thanks for letting me sit down for a minute, Maka. I'm feeling much better now."

Maka lowered her eyebrows. "Nice try, but I can tell when you're faking. Now what's wrong?"

Tsubaki laughed uneasily. "No, really, I just needed to sit down."

"This has something to do with Black Star, doesn't it?" she asked.

Tsubaki's sweet smile dropped as her face became animated. "No! I mean, yes! I mean-" she said before hanging her head. "How did you guess?"

Maka was beaming. "You always get this way when it comes to that idiot. Although I've never seen you this wound up before." Her frown returned as she asked, "What did he do this time?"

"It's not like that!" she cried. She hunched her shoulders and looked away. "He didn't do anything wrong. I…" She wanted to say it but the thought of Maka’s face, stunned and disgusted, made her shake her head. "I'm sorry, but I can't tell you. It's personal."

Maka opened her mouth to reply, but shut it quickly. She was silent for a moment before she said, "I know you two have your own way of dealing with this kind of stuff, but if you change your mind I'm always here."

Tsubaki's muscles relaxed. "I know you are. But there's only one way I'm going to get over this." She rose from the bench and asked, "Will you be alright with splitting up from here?"

"Of course." Her friend said, following suit. "How about you? Think you'll be able to work this out on your own?"

"Definitely," Tsubaki answered, praying that this smile would be able to fool her.

 

\\\\\

 

The door to the DWMA gymnasium opened with a long, loud squeal. The sound echoed through the large two-story room, sending chills down Tsubaki's spine as she entered. Soft orange light shone in through sparse glass, faintly illuminating the balcony level above. Shadow claimed the lower level.

She wandered through the darkness, her eyes adjusting to see two stacks of blue training mats along the wall. The rest of the equipment seemed to be locked up. As far as Tsubaki could tell there was nothing, and no one, else in the room with her.

'Of course he's not here,' she thought. Students were allowed to use the gym in their spare time but not even Black Star would be training in the dark. A despondent Tsubaki shuffled over to the training mats and collapsed onto the shorter stack.

She had spent the last three hours looking for her partner with absolutely no success. In fact eyewitness accounts seemed to suggest that she kept missing Black Star by a matter of seconds. She either had improbably poor timing or he was avoiding her.

A smile came to her lips and she fought back a chuckle. 'Or maybe he's hiding from me,' she thought to herself snidely. As impressed as she was with Black Star's development, stealth still wasn't his forte, especially when it came to hiding from her.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a sudden flash of movement from above. She remained still as her gaze swept across the balcony, searching for another sign of motion. Her body tensed up as she spotted a skulking figure above her. Her heartbeat had become a pounding in her ears, combat instincts ready to take over as her target began to come into focus.

Then she saw a flash of blue and her heart was pounding for an entirely different reason. "Black Star?" she asked.

"YAH-" a shout began and was then immediately cut short. The 'mysterious intruder' shifted his weight in what looked to Tsubaki like a moment of hesitation. Half a second later he was gone, a superhuman swiftness carrying him in a direction she couldn't discern.

He was still in the gym, though. She could still hear his footsteps. "Black Star, is that you?" she asked as she rose from the mats onto her feet. She flinched as a muffled crash came from behind. A slow groan followed it. With a wince she turned around to find Black Star face-down and splayed out on the mat.

"I'm alright," he muttered into blue plastic before pulling himself up.

Tsubaki moved up beside her partner, her features pulled into a scowl. "What on earth are you doing? Wait, have you been following me?"

"Tsubaki," Black Star said. His face was turned away and his voice somber. "I wanted to apologize."

She opened her mouth to shout but was at a complete loss for words. She cast a sidelong glance at the mat he had just come crashing down into. "You've got a funny way of apologizing."

"I messed up. I honestly had no idea what you were doing. If only I'd known…" He gave a curt laugh and said, "Some partner I am."

Her features softened. Black Star wasn't always the most considerate partner, but he always meant well. "I actually wanted to talk with you about that." She put a hand on his shoulder and said, "It's not your fault, though. You didn't do anything wrong."

"Of course I did!" he cried. He turned to her, turquoise eyes full of shame. "You were suffering on your own like that and I was completely oblivious!"

For the briefest moment Tsubaki nodded softly along with his words. "Wait, what?" she said, her eyes popping open as she realized they made absolutely no sense.

Black Star grabbed his temples and ruffled his hair wildly. "I've been so blind! So obsessed with my own godhood that I never even imagined what it would do to the people around me."

"Huh?" she asked, still completely in the dark.

He moved around to her other side with a cocky swagger and said, "You don't have to hide it anymore, Tsubaki. Spending so much time with me, it was only a matter of time before you succumbed to my charm." He shook his head. "But neither of us could have predicted that you would become so unable to control your desire for me that you would be forced to restrain yourself."

Her head tilted to the side as she listened to him. "I... You... That's not," was all she could say before he clasped her hands together.

"No, it's alright. This is my responsibility," he said, gazing into her eyes. Tsubaki felt her face grow hot. "You won't have to suffer alone anymore."

A nervous laugh escaped her lips. She had imagined dozens of reactions from her partner but this was stranger than any of them. She almost didn't want to break down Black Star's elaborate fantasy.

"I certainly appreciate the offer-" was all she was able to say before she felt something thin coil around her wrists. She looked down to see him holding her hands together with rope. "What are you doing?"

He flashed a goofy smile, his hands still fumbling with the rope. "I told you already, you don't have to deal with this on your own. From now on I'm always here when you need to tie yourself up!"

"Hold on a minute!" Tsubaki said in a voice louder than she had intended. "I was trying to say appreciate the help but I'm really not going to need it." She tried to pull her hands away but found his grip solid and immovable. "Um, you can let go now."

He did not let go, nor had he halted his effort to bind her wrists together. He finished tying the two strands into an ill-formed knot. It wasn't pretty but it held her arms together well enough. "There!" he said. "Definitely easier than doing it on your own, right?"

She didn't have a chance to answer before he spun her around and pinned her to the mat. "Black Star, stop!" she cried, looking back over her shoulder at him. "You don't understand!"

"I know," he said, his attention still on his task. "I'm still kind of new to this but I've been practicing. Here, I'll show you!" He grasped her thigh with one hand and pulled her leg up, bending her knee forcefully but not uncomfortably.

She was not as eager for him to continue. This had gone on long enough. "You need to stop this right now!"

Black Star's eyes flickered up, narrowed slits of intensity staring right into her. She found herself turning away from his gaze but his hand reached out to grasp her chin. His thumb brushed against her bottom lip as he held her head half-turned to him. "Tsubaki," he said, his voice firm and even. "Stop resisting and let me tie you up."

Tsubaki's face paled. She was acutely aware of the scent of sweat, the feeling of his rough hands on her skin, and the slight quiver going through her body. Her mind was a hurricane of emotions. At the forefront were terror, anger, helplessness, and betrayal.

Through it all Black Star was like stone. His hands kept her fixed in place but made no further movement. His unflinching gaze continued to stare into her eyes, his face unreadable. It was almost as if he was waiting.

She knew she had to say something. She had to yell at him or cry for help or do anything to end this silence. But she couldn't speak. Her mouth was dry and her tongue felt like lead. And in the back of her mind was a thought that she couldn't get rid of. A question that she wouldn't dare acknowledge even as it set her mind aflame.

What if she let him continue?

There was a long, loud squeal.

Immediately both of them turned their attention to the doorway, where Soul and Maka stood dumbstruck and silent. Soul ended the silence with a single question.

"So are you two using the gym?"


	2. Confessions

Black Star knit his eyebrows as he stared off into the horizon. His gaze drifted up from the manic sun in the sky to the tiny people milling about the streets of Death City. His keen senses focused on the sounds of them going about their business - the echo of footsteps on cobblestone, the chime of money being exchanged, a soft laugh amidst small talk.

Not that he would ever admit it, but occasionally Black Star wondered what it must be like for the common people. He imagined a life unburdened by his worldwide fame and cosmic significance, a simpler existence free of such concerns. And while these daydreams rarely swayed him from the path he walked, perhaps a normal life wouldn't be as complicated as his was right now.

Questions weighed on his godly mind like galaxies. Why had Tsubaki tied herself up like that? And why did she have to be naked? Not that her being naked mattered to him, of course. It wasn't as though that was the first time he had seen her nude, he assured himself. Although now he was having trouble thinking of anything but Tsubaki naked and writhing on the ground.

He shook his head, hoping to get his imagination under control. He knew that Tsubaki was a hornball but this just didn't fit her at all. This seemed more like something he would dream up rather than her fantasy. Could she have been trying to entice him?

He sighed. If that had been the case, why would she chase him out when he stumbled upon her? For that matter, if she had bound herself, why did he find her trying to get out of her restraints? Nothing about the situation seemed to add up.

"Oi, Star! You okay up there?" A voice called out.

He turned himself around with a bit of effort to see a familiar figure standing upside down above him. "Kilik. What's up?"

The bespectacled meister grinned. "You are dumbass. What do you think you're doing?"

"Trying to piss Kid off," he replied. It was a lie, although hanging off one of the spikes jutting out of the Academy by a rope tied around his ankles and left wrist probably would piss Kid off. In truth Black Star had been hoping to figure out how to tie oneself up. He was having limited success.

Kilik shrugged and asked, "You need a hand getting down from there?"

"No, I got this," he said before he bent forward and delivered a knife-hand strike to the rope supporting him. Of course since he had forgotten to unbind his legs and other hand the result was Black Star tumbling onto his back in a rather undignified manner. "Still... got this..."

"Seems like it would be easier to just smash it apart like you usually do," Kilik said, pointed at the offending spike.

"I'm trying to mix things up," Black Star replied as he began to carefully undo his restraints. "My fans will get bored if all I ever do is repeat performances."

His friend raised an eyebrow. "Your fans don't even know you're here. In fact I think Tsubaki is still waiting on you to show up for training."

Black Star looked up from a particularly tough knot and pursed his lips, saying, "That's strange. I left a note for her in our room, I told her I wouldn't be able to make it today."

"Well she must have missed it because-" he paused mid-sentence, his eyes widening. "Wait, you two are still sharing a room?"

"Yeah," Black Star admitted, although he was beginning to wonder if that arrangement would last much longer. He was honestly surprised that she had let him sleep there last night.

"Man you are one lucky bastard!" Kilik said, his glasses nearly falling off his face. "If I was in your shoes I'd probably have trouble keeping my hands to myself."

"Yeah," he repeated, practically on autopilot. Something about Kilik's words had struck a chord in his mind. Impossible riddles became obvious. Answers rose up where once there had only been questions. The universe seemed to fall into order around him.

"And yet here you are all alone trying to tie yourself to the roof," his friend continued, hands on his hips. "I think you might have your priorities out of order Star."

"Of course it doesn't make sense to you," he said as he returned to his task with renewed energy. "You'd need a god's mind to understand how I think!"

Kilik failed to stifle a fit of laughter. "Your thoughts are beyond my comprehension, that's for sure," he said. "So, shall I tell Tsubaki you won't be able to make it?"

Black Star's face lit up as he undid the last frustratingly tiny knot keeping him restrained. He grabbed the ropes and hopped to his feet. "No need," he replied. "I'm on my way to find her right now."

 

\\\\\

 

"So, that was a little unusual," Maka said as she sat down on the terrace ledge, her legs dangling over the side. Tsubaki was already sitting on the ledge, her knees drawn into her chest. She was trying her very best to hide her face, but even in the dwindling light of sunset Maka could see the tears in her eyes.

"I can't believe you saw that," she said between short sobs. "Oh god this is a nightmare!"

Maka scooted closer and put an arm over her shoulder. "Hey, hey, it's alright. Everything's going be okay so don't cry."

Tsubaki buried her face in her arms to muffle another round of sobs. "I'm so embarrassed..."

"You have nothing to be ashamed of, you hear me?" Maka said, her voice full of righteous fury. "That idiot is the only one who should be embarrassed."

The sound of whimpering died down as Tsubaki lifted her head. Her eyes were bloodshot, her cheeks were wet with tears, and her whole face was bright red. However, with the exception of the occasional hiccup, she seemed to have calmed down. "I still shouldn't have hit him," she said.

"Are you kidding me? I'm surprised all you did was hit him," Maka said with a laugh, patting her friend on the back. "If I were you I wouldn't have left while he was still standing."

"I didn't mean to hit him! Everything happened so fast and I- I just- Oh god." She buried her head again and choked back the sudden urge to start crying again. "You think he's mad?"

 

\\\\\

 

"Of course I'm mad!" Black Star shouted from on top of the gym mats, his left hand covering his eye. "This is gonna ruin my reputation, you know. First Patty takes me out with a cheap shot and now my own partner. How am I supposed to recover from this?"

"I honestly have no idea," Soul Eater replied as he crossed the gym floor. He tossed an ice pack to Black Star, who caught it and placed it over a large shiner covering his left eye.

"It was a sucker punch, you saw it! C'mon man, I can't have a public loss on my record!" The Great Black Star never stooped to begging, but if he were to beg it would probably look a lot like this.

Soul leaned back against the wall and crossed his arms, a harsh look etched on his face. "So, what, you want to go challenge her to a rematch?"

He scrunched up his nose and lowered his eyebrows, refusing to respond. After a moment of silence, a frown formed on his face and he said, "Of course not. That would just make her angrier at me."

"Okay, that's a start," Soul said. "Now I know you haven't completely lost your mind."

Black Star threw his hands up in the air and said, "Oh great, now you're mad at me too?" The ice pack held firm to his face.

His friend's face remained harsh. "Maybe. Kind of depends on what you were trying to do to her when we walked in on you."

There was dead silence as the two friends exchanged stern gazes, neither looking to back down. The standoff came to an end as the ice pack finally began to slide down Black Star’s face, forcing him to look down to reaffix it. The blue-haired war god sighed and collapsed onto the mat.

"I've screwed things up bad, haven't I Soul?"

 

\\\\\

 

"It wasn't as bad as you think," Tsubaki said, turning back look at her friend.

Maka paced in circles, her hands balled into fists at her sides. "Don't defend that bastard," she said as she came to a stop. Her voice was soft but full of outrage. "I saw what was going on. I saw what he was trying to do to you. If Soul and I hadn't come along when we did-"

"Maka, you don't understand!" Tsubaki rose to her feet and looked down at Maka. Suddenly the girl sobbing into her knees was gone. Tsubaki looked like she was ready to give a dressing-down to two warring armies. "I know Black Star is an idiot. And he probably even deserved a punch right about then. But it wasn't what you think. He was just trying to help."

The young blonde raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Tsubaki felt her stomach begin to twist in knots. "Black Star wanted to help me because he found out that I... tie myself up sometimes."

"Oh." Maka thought her face might catch on fire. "Oh," she said again, her eyes searching for any passersby who might have overheard her outburst. "So you, every so often, just…"

"Yes," was all she could muster for a reply.

"Oh." Maka returned to her seat on the terrace edge. Tsubaki joined her a moment later. Neither girl looked at the other. In the distance a flock of birds cawed as the setting sun gave a lethargic chuckle. At last Maka broke down and turned to her friend. "Doesn't it hurt?"

"A little bit," she said, crumpling the hem of her shirt in her hands. "It's not dangerous, though. If it feels like too much I can transform to get out of the ropes. And I guess I've gotten so used to it that it doesn't bother me."

"Wait, how many times have you done this?" She gasped. "I'm sorry, I wasn't thinking!" Tsubaki had already returned to hugging her knees, looking almost as despondent as she had when Maka caught up with her.

"You must think I'm a complete pervert," she said, her voice starting to quiver.

Maka put her hands on her friend's knees and said, "Tsubaki, it's alright! Really, there are plenty of things worse than what you do! My father's a thoughtless sex maniac and my cat constantly hits on my roommate! I mean compared to all the weird people we know you're perfectly normal!"

She peeked back up. "You mean it?"

"Of course I do," her friend replied with a smile. "This doesn't change how I look at you at all. And I'm sure Soul feels exactly the same way."

 

\\\\\

 

"Wait, what?!" Soul asked.

"Keep it down," Black Star said in what was perhaps the most ironic command in the history of the universe. "I get the feeling she really doesn't want anyone else knowing about it."

Soul's jaw was practically on the floor. 'I knew she was submissive but wow,' he thought to himself. "Wait, so she asked you to do that?"

He rubbed the back of his neck. "Not exactly. I just thought I could help her out. I mean who would ever turn down help from the Great Black Star?"

"Who indeed?" Soul asked, looking at the black eye Tsubaki had given him.

Black Star tilted his head down. "I went overboard, I get that. Not like this was the first time she got upset with me," he said, remembering all the times he'd been the target for one of her shuriken. "But this was different. The way she looked at me before she left. It was like she was afraid of me."

"I wouldn't be surprised if she was," the white-haired boy replied, his arms crossed. "You get someone immobile and helpless like that, her mind was bound to go to some scary places. I mean you could have done anything you wanted with her." At this Black Star shot up off the mat, gritting his teeth.

"I would never-" he began to shout but stopped. His eyes became downcast and his voice uncharacteristically soft as he said, "I swear, I wasn't trying to do... that. I know I crossed a line but I would never even think of hurting her like that." He sat back down on the mattress, his head resting on his hands. "Not that it matters at this point."

Soul sighed as he pushed off the wall. He sat down next his friend and put a hand on his shoulder as he said, "Trust me, it matters. Even if your approach was colossally boneheaded."

"It's just my fate," he said, "that even my failures are massive."

 

\\\\\

 

"What an egomaniac," Maka said, rolling her eyes. "Of course he made it about himself."

Tsubaki gave a soft chuckle. "It was a little surprising for me too. By the time I realized what was going on things had kind of gotten out of hand."

Maka's face tightened as she said, "You can't just let him walk all over you like that. Even if he meant well, you still don't deserve to be treated like that. You're not his toy."

"I tried to stop him, but he just wouldn't listen. He's always so stubborn. And then when he-" She paused, a blush coming to her cheeks.

Maka caught her reticence and raised an eyebrow. "When he what?"

She pulled on the hem of her shirt again. "Right before you two walked in," she said, "Black Star ordered me to let him finish. I think… that I kind of wanted to let him."

"Huh?" her friend asked. "So you did want him to tie you up?"

"I don't know!" Tsubaki cried, her eyes downcast. "I just wanted him to stop but then he made it a command and suddenly I didn't know what I wanted and then you two came in and I panicked and now Black Star probably hates me and he'll get a new partner and-"

"Whoa!" Maka said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure it's not that grim. And I'm sure he doesn't hate you."

She hung her head, obsidian locks shaking down over her face. "This is all my fault. If Black Star hadn't walked in on me none of this would have happened."

Maka gave her a warm smile and said, "Everything will be alright, you'll see. You're just all worked up right now."

Tsubaki looked back up, a small smile coming to her tear-stained face. "Thanks Maka," she said with a slight sniffle.

The young blonde looked out to the horizon in time to see the last of the napping sun disappear from view. Her voice was soft as she said, "You're too good for him Tsubaki."

 

\\\\\

 

"That is not true," Black Star said.

"C'mon man, just admit it," Soul replied. "You've clearly got a thing for her."

The blue-haired warrior puffed out his chest. "A man of my stature would not be nursing some school boy crush. If I had feelings for her I would be direct. I wouldn't be hiding it or-"

"Or doing something stupid like skulking around waiting to tie her up?" Soul asked, resting his chin on his hand with a smirk.

Black Star grimaced. "I told you, I thought she had a thing for me. I felt responsible, that's all it was."

"Sounds like a good cover for someone trying to avoid getting hurt," Soul said, reclining against the back wall.

He removed the ice patch and pointed to his black eye. "Not good enough."

"I mean emotionally, dumbass." Soul shook his head. It had grown dark outside since they started talking. Electric lamp lights along the gym wall stood in contrast to the black night sky showing through the windows. "Are you telling me you're not at all attracted to her?"

"Of course I think she's attractive," Black Star said, turning away as a blush came to his face. "She's also kind and smart and strong. Definitely the only one worthy to be my partner."

"Uh-huh", Soul said, pointed shark-teeth forming another smirk.

"But I only care about her as a friend," he said, turning back to Soul. "No matter how gorgeous she is."

"Gorgeous?" The word left Soul's mouth like an accusation from an attorney on cross-examination.

"Gah! Damn you and your mind games!" Black Star shouted. He collapsed back onto the mat as he flailed his arms about. The blue ice pack went flying into the air.

"You should just try being honest with her man," his friend said as he caught the soggy, melted pack in the air.

"I'm a man of actions, not words," he replied. "Besides, my soul is so massive I shouldn't need to explain anything. People should just know how I feel from looking at me."

Soul sighed. "Yeah, I should have figured that would be your answer."

He looked up at the windows with a frown. "I guess it was easier when I thought she liked me. Maybe I didn't even want to believe she would turn me down."

"Black Star," Soul began. A loud squeal sounded as the gym door swung open, drawing both boys' attention.

"Everything okay over here?" Maka's voice called out as the pigtailed girl stepped through the door. Tsubaki trailed behind her, squeezing her hands together.

Soul smiled. "Pretty good. I've got this hothead under control."

Black Star hopped down and approached Tsubaki, stopping before he got too close. He looked off to the side while she looked down at her hands, both uncertain who should speak first. He cracked first. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to… I shouldn't have treated you like that."

Tsubaki looked up to him, her eyes watering as she spoke. "I'm so sorry. That looks really bad."

"This is nothing," he replied in a boisterous voice. "I'm the man who surpasses god. Something like this is nothing to me."

"Of course," she said with a smile.

He rubbed the back of his head. "I guess I should head back home, try to sleep this off. I'll see you tomorrow morning."

"I'll come with!" she cried. She shifted her feet and continued in a softer voice, "I mean, it was my fault. I should help you recover."

"Suit yourself," he said with a shrug. He turned and began to walk out of the gym.

Tsubaki turned to Soul and Maka, her face pensive. "Um, you two won't tell anyone about this, right?"

"Our lips are sealed," Maka said, her fingers tracing her mouth.

"Like anyone would believe us," Soul added.

"Thank you," she said with a smile before turning around and hurrying out of the gym to catch up with her partner.

"So you still want to punch him?" Soul asked his meister.

"Oh yeah," Maka said with a scowl, "but I'll pass. For now."

"Don't worry, she can take care of herself," Soul said. "I mean she didn't exactly need our help getting out of those ropes and hitting Black Star."

She narrowed her eyes. "Not her I'm worried about."


	3. Control

Tsubaki reached back and untied her ponytail, letting raven tresses cascade over her. She reached for a brush and brought the stiff bristles over her locks with long, relaxed strokes. The muscles in her body, tightened by a month's worth of anxiety packed into the span of a day, slowly began to unknot as she brushed her hair. Long hair certainly had its drawbacks but in this moment she was glad to have it. The task gave her something to focus on and the sensation was absolutely heavenly.

She looked into the bathroom mirror as her reflection followed her motions, deep indigo eyes staring back at her. The girl in the mirror tilted her head and narrowed her eyes in concert with her. For a moment she remembered Black Star's eyes piercing into her as she desperately tried to look away. She brought a hand up over her face. It was far too late and she was far too tired to be having these thoughts. Sleep was what she needed now, not more conflicted thoughts of her partner.

She brought her hand down and found turquoise eyes staring at her. She jumped and turned around to find her partner standing in the doorway watching her. "Black Star!" she cried, her voice too high. "I thought you were asleep."

He gave a mellow shake of his head. "Not yet." She tried not to look at the darkened bruise around his eye, tried not to think of the events that had led to it. "I actually wanted to ask you for a favor."

"Hmm?" Her attention snapped to him. "What is it?"

He squared his shoulders, looked her straight in the eye, and said, "I need to see that deer again. The one at the core of your soul."

"Right now?" she asked, eliciting a nod from her meister. Her brow furrowed. Black Star never spoke idly with the Will of Nakatsukasa. The few times they had conversed had been rather intense. "Is everything okay?"

He nodded again. "It's fine. I just need to see him. You'll understand when we get there."

"All right then," she said, a look of determination on her face. She didn't know what was going on but she wasn't about to abandon Black Star if he needed help.

Moments later she had transformed into the gleaming katana grasped in his hands. He sat down by his sleeping mat and ran his fingertips down the length of the blade. In spite of being incorporeal, Tsubaki had the fleeting sensation of goose bumps.

He closed his eyes and began to broadcast his soul wavelength to her. She reached out with her own wavelength in turn, tuning it until they were as one. Her senses synchronized with his as his heartbeat became like a metronome in the back of her mind. The darkened void of her soulscape seemed to pulse as her meister's familiar form came into view. She extended a hand to him, which he gladly took, and began to lead him through her soul.

They flew through the darkness towards a bright point on the horizon, the place where the Will of Nakatsukasa dwelled. Her eyes strained as the gleaming point shrank further into the distance even as she quickened her pace. A strong air resistance pushed back against her, slowing her flight nearly to a stop. The force didn't seem to have any effect on Black Star, who pulled ahead and began leading her to the ever-shrinking flicker.

Tsubaki tried to shield her face as what felt like gale force winds buffeted against her. It roared as it shot by her ears and shook her body with unyielding force. She held onto her partner's hand for dear life as she called out his name. Black Star continued to dive forward with increasing speed as though unaware of her plight. Her hand, damp with sweat, began to slip out of his slackening grip. She cried out his name one last time before the wind pulled her hand away and threw her screaming into the darkness.

She tumbled backwards through the void as though caught in a hurricane. Even her own voice was drowned out by the sound of rushing wind. When her vision finally stopped spinning, she found herself floating in overwhelming darkness. Black Star was nowhere to be seen and neither was the flicker of light. She couldn’t even see her nose in front of her face. Her mind raced as she found herself alone and lost within her own soul.

She focused her chaotic thoughts, reason winning out over fear. She needed to find her partner and both of them needed to escape this predicament. She tried to reach out through the void with her arm and found it stuck in place. Cold pressure seemed to push in all around her, holding her still. Undeterred, she attempted to flail her arms and kick wildly against it. Vibrations rippled through the space around her as her limbs made the slightest movements in the darkness. It was an unusual sensation, as though her entire body was suspended in gelatin.

Slowly she pushed through the dense void. Her eyes were useless so she simply continued on in one direction searching for escape. After what felt like eternity her hand pushed free of the cold, smothering pressure. She didn't know where her hand was and she didn't care; it had to be better than where she was. Her muscles screamed as she pulled herself free by increments at a time. She gasped as her head breached, closing her eyes to the blinding light. She had pried her entire body out and had collapsed onto the solid surface before she even considered opening them again.

"What took you so long?" a high-pitched, even voice rang out. She opened her eyes and pushed herself up with her arms, her breathing still ragged. She tried not to think about how she could be out of breath inside of her soul as she looked down at her reflection in dark water. She turned her head weakly to the source of the voice. Black Star was standing there against the calming blue sky. She had somehow stumbled into the core of her soul.

"What... what happened?" Tsubaki asked, still out of breath.

"The Old Deer and I have been talking," he said. His demeanor was relaxed, as though he was completely unconcerned by her absence.

Wearily, she pulled herself to her feet. She wondered why she had been left out of this conversation. Had the Will of Nakatsukasa possessed her and blocked off her perception? She ignored these suspicions for the moment and asked, "What did it say?"

He smiled. "We've decided it's time for some things to change."

Her head tilted to the side. She began to move towards her partner as she asked, "What do you-" She stopped. Both her mouth and her legs had come to a halt, the former in reaction to the latter. Something was preventing her from moving towards Black Star.

Something dark crept into his eyes. Behind him both the sky and the water shifted to dull shades of mauve. "For starters, we've decided that a weapon should obey its master."

Ice-cold pressure washed over her once again. With it came the sensation of fingers tracing all across her body. Her eyes shifted down to find the ornate, curved sigils of the uncanny blade tattooed on her bare flesh. Her muscles tensed up as she realized the tattoos were slithering over her skin like serpents. Black stripes extended out and coiled around her arms and legs, locking them in place.

"What is this?!" she cried, narrowed eyes turning back to Black Star.

"This is me taking charge." He strode towards her, predatory eyes tracing over her paralyzed form. "I've no use for a willful, disobedient weapon that won't follow orders."

A tendril of shadow shot out of the water and whipped around her neck. She squealed as it tightened and yanked her down to her knees. "How?" she asked, struggling to look up at him. "How are you controlling the shadows? This is my soul!"

"Your soul?" He laughed like a hyena. "How ridiculous. This soul belongs to me, the same as these shadows," he said. With a snap of his fingers Tsubaki felt her arms pulled up and back by some unseen shadow puppets.

"No..." she said, her eyes widening with fear.

He crouched down until his face was level with hers. "Everything here belongs to me. And that includes you." Black Star pushed his mouth roughly against hers. Her hair stood on end as she felt his tongue sweeping over every inch of her mouth. She struggled to pull away from the kiss but the shadows, her shadows, rendered her completely helpless. She felt more fingers tracing over her breast. She looked down expecting more shadow tendrils, only to find his hand groping her body. His fingers dug into her soft flesh, eliciting a muffled cry from her.

He finally broke away from her, but not before pulling on her bottom lip with his teeth. She couldn’t stop her mouth from hanging open as her breath heaved. She wanted to shout at him, but all she could muster was a frail, "Why?"

"Hmm? What was that?" She wasn't sure if he was mocking her or if her voice had truly been that small.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked, pulling against her bonds.

Black Star rubbed his chin and absently tapped his foot as the shadows tightened again, bringing her brief defiance to an end with a whimper. "You say why but all I can think is, 'Why not?'"

"Because we're partners!" Her voice was strangled but even the shadow noose couldn't keep the fury out of her words. "Because I…" she said, trying to hold back tears, "I thought we were friends."

"Oh is that all?" he asked, feigning genuine surprise. "Because I'm afraid you're sorely mistaken." With a twitch of his finger he brought her arms out in front of her. She watched her tattoos spread out across them, individual shadows winding around each finger. With unnatural, wrenching motions she watched her hands and arms move against her will.

"Here's how it is," he said. He pointed down and her hands shot between her legs. She gasped as she felt cold fingers, her own fingers, rubbing and stretching her lower lips. "You're my weapon. You're property of the Great Black Star. And that means I control you."

He waved his fingers and her hands began to move quicker. An involuntary moan escaped her lips as she felt two fingers push inside of her and a third massage her clit. She fought against the rising tide of pleasure welling up inside of her and struggled to regain control of her arms. It proved to be a hopeless fight. Her entire body shuddered as she felt her arousal come to a peak, relief and shame washing over her in its wake.

"You see?" he said with a smile. "You're my puppet; mine to do whatever I please with."

Tsubaki felt completely empty as her entire body slackened against the restraints. She didn’t want to believe that Black Star could be doing this, that he could ever become so monstrous. There was no denying the truth in front of her, though.

She lifted her head to him, her eyes full of fire. She summoned every ounce of strength she had left and shouted, "Stop this, right now Black Star! I'm telling you to release me this instant or-"

He grasped her by the chin, cutting off her words. "Or what?"

She continued to stare daggers at him as she said, "Or I swear I will never fight for you again."

He let go of her face although his manner remained cold, as though unfazed by this declaration. "It’s funny how you still think you have a choice in the matter."

Tsubaki felt the shadow around her neck yank her head down until her face was pressed up against the surface of the dark water. She turned her face away from the still pool and saw him circle around her bowed form.

"I already told you," he said, "the Deer and I are in agreement: you're my possession. And possessions don't get to make choices."

"I don't believe you!" she cried back.

"Is that right?" he asked in an incredulous tone. She flinched as his hand felt over her backside. "You're pretty defenseless right now, aren't you? I could do pretty much whatever I want with you."

"Don't you dare!" she shouted, tears forming in her eyes.

Black Star laughed and gave her butt a firm slap. "You should really consider begging your master if you expect any sympathy from me. But maybe you are right." A wave of his hand caused shadow tendrils to latch onto her arms and hoist her up until she was dangling above him. "You don't deserve a reward like that until you learn to show me a little respect."

The shadows started to lower her back down towards the water. Her heart was pounding in her chest. Suspense smothered her like a swarm of insects. What humiliation would he subject her to next? Would he ever release her? She contemplated being trapped in her own soul, at the mercy of her meister, for the rest of her life. She couldn't imagine a more terrifying fate.

So why was there a brief flash of excitement in the back of her mind? Could some small part of her truly be enjoying this torture?

She cried out as something came up between her legs, bringing her descent to a halt. She looked down to find another shadow limb pulling through her legs like a rope. The shadows restraining her legs continued to pull down, forcing her crotch into this bar of shadow. She moaned in some mixture of pain and pleasure.

For the longest time her partner just stood there, watching her writhe against the shadow with a wicked smirk. She felt herself climax again and again but he didn't take her down. She screamed until her voice became hoarse, her vision blurred, and her breathing became erratic.

"Perhaps," he began, "now you're ready to show proper respect to your master?"

"Please stop this…" she said, tears streaming down her face. "Please…" She swallowed. "…Master."

His gaze swept over her body. "Well, it's a start.” He waved his hand again and the shadows lowered her down to the water's surface in a crumpled heap. Tsubaki looked up at him with glassy, tear-soaked eyes. She was too tired to fight, too tired to do anything anymore.

Black Star grinned. "Now about that reward…"

Tsubaki's eyes flew open to gaze up at her bedroom ceiling. It was night but she was able to see clearly by the bright moonlight streaming in through the window. She felt her sleeping mat beneath her, her sheets and pajamas completely soaked with perspiration. Her body was hot and her breathing was labored.

Her gaze drifted down to her side where she recognized Black Star snoring peacefully on his own mat. 'A dream,' she thought as her breathing steadied. 'It felt so- but it was just a dream.' She tried to push herself out of bed but was shocked to find her arms were frozen in place. Her heart beat quickly again.

She tried to move every part of her body. Her legs were as immobile as her arms but she was still capable of rolling her body from side to side. With some effort she managed to flop onto her stomach, allowing her a look at her body underneath her sheets. It wasn't until she spotted the distinct markings of the uncanny blade tattooed on her flesh that she realized what was going on.

With a thought Tsubaki dispelled the shadows covering her body, allowing her to push herself up onto her knees. The tattoos had been holding her limbs in place just as they had in her dream. They left a slight depression in her flesh where they had bound her, the way rope did when she remained tied up for too long. How long had she been restrained under her own power?

"Tsubaki?" a voice called out, startling her out of her thoughts. She turned her head to see Black Star rising from his mat, his eyes still heavy with sleep. "You okay?"

She hastily pulled her covers over her body and replied, "I'm fine! I-I just woke up, that's all."

If Black Star noticed anything unusual with her, it certainly didn't show on his face. He yawned and said, "Oh, okay then." Then with a thud he crashed back into his mat and resumed sleeping.

Tsubaki sighed in relief and rose out of bed to go make some tea. It was quite late but she wasn't in any particular hurry to return to sleep.


	4. Respite

The first rays of sunlight weren't very welcoming to Tsubaki. Try as she might she hadn't managed to return to sleep. Even after a cup of green tea and a shower she still felt sluggish. She shuffled across the wooden floor until she reached her bedroom. The door was still closed which meant Black Star had not come charging out of bed yet. Thankfully, it seemed, even at her slowest she could still outpace him.

She tried to pick up the pace as she walked towards the kitchen. If she hurried she could have breakfast done and leave before he even woke up. After the dream she'd had she needed some time away from him. She looked to the door once more and then turned forward just in time to crash head first into her meister.

She tumbled to the cold floor with a yelp. Her heart was suddenly racing as she looked up to see Black Star had not been moved by the collision. Even with a dumbfounded look and toast hanging awkwardly from his mouth he still looked quite intimidating from this angle.

"Whoa!" he said through a mouth full of toast. In two massive bites he scarfed down the breakfast before crouching down closer to her. "Sorry about that, didn't see you there."

He extended a hand to help her but she quickly pushed herself back up. "W-what are you doing up?"

He straightened back up and Tsubaki found herself wondering when he had gotten so tall. He blinked and said, "Just thought I'd go out for a run."

"Oh. Of course." She shifted her weight back and forth fighting an urge to run. Black Star seemed glued in place, his eyes looking everywhere except at her. "I..." she began but trailed off as her eyes drifted to his black eye. She looked away before saying, "I didn't hear you."

He smiled and said, "Well obviously. It's me." He gave a loud, cocky laugh that still seemed to lack passion. She joined in with a half-hearted chuckle that was even more forced than usual. They continued for far too long until uncomfortable silence was reestablished.

"Why's everyone so loud?" a tiny voice chirped up.

They both turned to see a little girl in bright green footed pajamas standing in the hallway. She rubbed the sleep out of one eye and adjusted a pointy green cap on her mop of pink hair as she waited expectantly for them to respond.

"Oh, good morning Angela," Black Star said. "Did we wake you up?"

Angela yawned. "S'already up," she replied as she shuffled between the two teenagers into the kitchen. A long creak sounded as the little witch dragged a wooden stool across the tile floor. She finally brought it to a stop in front of the cupboard and began to climb.

"Angela honey," Tsubaki said as Black Star saw his cue and headed for the exit, "I can make you something if you'd like."

The pink-haired girl had already found a bowl and a cereal box and was busy pouring one into the other when she said, "Naw. We need to get goin' soon anyway."

Black Star walked backwards into the kitchen doorway with one eyebrow raised. "We?"

"Uh-huh. You said we could all go to the park today remember?" Angela said cheerfully as she struggled desperately to pour a stream of milk into her bowl.

Tsubaki's memory, addled by the events of the last two days, kicked in. They had indeed promised the little witch a trip to the park after she got back from her stay with Kim. Her voice was soft as she said, "Angela I'm so sorry but-"

"We forgot," Black Star interrupted with all the tact of a monster truck, earning him a glare from his partner.

"It's just not a good day for us sweetie," she continued. "Maybe next week?"

"B-but you promised!" Angela stammered. Her lower lip began to quiver as her eyes got wide. "Please can't we go? Please, please, please?"

Black Star looked down at the young girl with sympathetic turquoise eyes. "You know I was on my way out just now. Why don't I take you?"

Angela shook her head. "It's not the same. Why can't we all go together?"

The two teens locked eyes for a second, trying to communicate with each other through only uncomfortable glances. "It's just," he began, fumbling for an answer. "I don't think Tsubaki's really up for that right now."

Angela tilted her head as she looked from Tsubaki to Black Star and back. "Spiky did something stupid, didn't he?"

"No!" Tsubaki cried.

"Yes." Black Star said almost simultaneously.

The little witch nodded in confirmation. "Thought so." She turned to Tsubaki in spite of her protest and continued, "What if I promise to keep him in line? Would that work?"

"How are you gonna keep me in line?" Black Star asked incredulously. "You're like a foot high."

Angela puffed out her chest and declared, "I'm big enough to take you on."

A sinister grin crossed Black Star's face as he bent over to stare her down. "Wanna try it punk?"

A fit of giggling from Tsubaki broke the two combatants out of their growing feud. "You'll keep him in line, huh? Okay then, I guess I'll come with you then."

"Yay!" Angela cheered as Black Star crossed his arms and frowned, no-doubt upset that his challenge was ignored.

"But go get changed first," Tsubaki said.

The little witch nodded and hurried back to her room. Black Star moved up to his partner, his mouth still twisted into a frown. "You really don't have to go if you don't want to."

She shook her head. "You know I couldn't break her heart any more than you could." She faced him and forced a smile. "Besides I really don't mind."

"Well, if you're sure," the blue-haired boy said with uncertainty.

She sighed as soon as he was out of earshot. This was not how she'd envisioned her day going.

 

\\\\\

 

He ran for cover as three shots narrowly missed the back of his head. He knew they were out for blood. Illusions to the contrary had by this point been shattered. Rounding the corner, he looked for a place to hide from the horde. Instead he found trouble. Two more enemies, weapons at the ready. Black Star gritted his teeth. An ambush, and he had stumbled into it like some rank amateur.

He tumbled out of the way of the incoming shots and broke out into a dash. The group on his tail would round the corner soon and that left him with one option: the bushes. It was a bad move, one he'd been hoping to avoid. But he had no choice; he'd been outmaneuvered.

With a cry of desperation he leapt through the undergrowth. The footsteps of his pursuers continued to a point and then came to a stop. He sighed. 'Thank Death for small favors.'

He began to crawl through the brush, branches tearing at him from all directions. He forced himself underneath the greenery and scrambled forward through the dirt until he came to a small clearing within the green. He lifted his head up to see multicolored orbs being brandished at him.

"Don't shoot, it's me!" he cried, holding his arms up as high as he could manage.

Tsubaki breathed a sigh of relief as she lowered the balloon. Kim, on the other hand, simply asked, "Well, did you get any more?"

The blue-haired warrior lifted himself onto his knees and shook his head. "No good. They cut me off at the shack. What about Kilik and Jackie?"

Tsubaki frowned. "They haven't come back yet."

"Well that's just great," Kim said, throwing her hands up in the air. She gestured towards two buckets filled with water balloons. "This isn't going to last us long. And once they know we're out, we're done for!"

"Maybe we're all taking this a little too seriously," Tsubaki said as he heard the sounds of splashing growing closer. "They're just kids. I'm sure if we just talk to them-"

"Incoming!" Black Star shouted as he pushed Tsubaki out of the way of a red balloon right before it burst into water on the ground.

Kim shouted out over the bushes, "You missed us, you punks!" She picked up a balloon and launched it over the brush, trying to dissuade another volley.

"You okay?" Black Star asked his partner.

"I'm fine," she replied. She turned her gaze away from him with an uncomfortable look on her face. "Um, would you please get off me?"

He looked down to find himself straddling Tsubaki. He felt his face heat up as he leapt off of her.

"Still think we can negotiate with them?" Kim asked.

A sudden rustling caused all three teens to turn their heads, balloons at the ready. Rather than an invader they found Kilik crawling up through the brush, his hair covered in leaves and a bucket in hand. "Fire and Thunder are never allowed to have sugar again."

"Alright! How many did you get?" Kim asked before looking behind Kilik. "Wait, where's Jackie?"

He turned back, his eyes wide. "I... she was just behind me. I thought..." he trailed off, his face growing somber.

"Dammit," Kim said under her breath. "How are we getting beaten? Black Star, I thought you were a freaking physical god!"

"I am a god!" Black Star said, shifting his gaze awkwardly from Tsubaki to the witch girl. "But if I went all-out against a bunch of kids this would be over in a flash. It's unsporting I tell ya!"

Kim rubbed her temples in frustration. "You and your stupid handicaps. Fine, forget it! We won't last another round of shelling. We take all we've got left and show them who's boss!"

"Hell yeah!" Kilik cried, grabbing a balloon in each hand. "For Ox and Harvar and Jackie!"

"I'm still here, actually..." a weak voice called out from the brush.

"Jackie!" Tsubaki cried as the demon lantern came into the clearing soaking wet. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Jackie said, pulling a piece of colored rubber out of her hair. "I mean technically I'm dead but you know."

Kim's eyes began to well up with tears. "They're not gonna get away with this, you hear me?" She clasped her partner's hands and cried, "You will be avenged!"

With a primal war cry Kim charged out of the bushes carrying as much of their remaining ammunition as she could. Kilik and Black Star followed suit, rushing behind their fearless leader. Tsubaki stayed behind and asked, "Can I get you a towel?"

Jackie shook her head. "No but if you could nail Kana on your way out for me, that would be great."

Tsubaki nodded and joined the suicidal charge.

Five minutes later their team was covered in water and lying on the ground in defeat.

Black Star looked up into a cloudless sky as droplets ran down his face. Not too far away he heard the cheers from their tiny conquerors. The war god sat up from the rough grass, soggy blue hair flopping into his eyes. He brushed it aside and surveyed the battlefield for survivors.

All around him his fallen comrades were recovering. Ox was trying to help his lady up and was getting shouted at in return. Jackie and Havar were watching them in amusement. Kilik was chasing his pint-sized partners around, trying to get the twins to calm down.

It was at this moment that his eyes fell upon Tsubaki picking herself up off the ground. She was sopping wet like the rest of them, her bangs sticking to her forehead and her tank top clinging to her body. For the briefest moment Black Star wondered if he truly had exhausted himself as he felt his heart beat rapidly.

As she tilted her head up to face him he turned around perhaps a moment too late, trying to play his gaze off as confused searching. Thankfully, as he fumbled for a target, one was kind enough to latch onto his back.

"Told you I could beat you Spiky!" Angela declared, tugging on his hair as she did.

The sting of defeat almost made him challenge her to a rematch but instead he decided on a more restrained approach. "Get off my back you little hobgoblin!" he cried as he tried to pry the little girl off.

Two more children, a brunette girl and a white-haired girl wearing fox ears, looked on as he rose up to his feet and ran in circles. The brunette put a finger to her lips and asked, "Is he okay?"

"Don't care," the girl with fox ears replied with a monotone voice.

He shouted in frustration as Angela slipped out of his grasp and managed to climb on his head, giggling like a maniac that whole time.

"I'm not going to have to separate you two, am I?" Tsubaki asked, her voice jovial. She approached the pair and handed them a towel.

Angela and Black Star snapped to attention, frozen as they were mid-combat. "Of course not," Star said. He grabbed the towel and absently tossed it over his head and, indirectly, Angela.

"Rachel!" a voice shouted.

Black Star and Tsubaki watched as a panicked-looking man and woman, both about in their late-twenties, ran towards them. The brunette girl smiled and waved at the couple. "Busted," the girl with fox ears said before turning to join the other children.

"There you are!" the woman cried. She pushed between the teenagers and scooped up the little girl, hugging her close. "I told you not to wander off on your own!"

"It's okay mama," the little girl said. "I was just playing."

The man arrived a moment later slightly out-of-breath. He turned to Black Star and Tsubaki and said, "Sorry to interrupt. We were a little worried because we couldn't find our daughter."

Tsubaki smiled. "It's quite alright. We didn't even realize she was lost."

Black Star lifted up the towel over Angela and asked, "Have you been abducting people?"

"No!" the little witch said. "It must have been Kana. Hey, where'd she go?"

Tsubaki looked back to the mother and her child, her eyes lighting up. "Oh! I remember now. Your daughter, she's the one we brought back from Baba Yaga's Castle."

The woman turned to Tsubaki and her eyes were suddenly wide with reverence. She threw her arms around the demon weapon and said, "Thank you! Thank you so much for bringing my little girl back."

Tsubaki gave an uneasy laugh and said, "It was nothing, really. Honestly you should be thanking Maka, not us."

The father picked up his little girl and turned to Black Star. "She gets a little overemotional about the subject. But we really are so grateful that you saved Rachel."

"Eh, don't mention it. We were there for a different reason entirely." Black Star pointed up to the little girl on his shoulders wearing a towel on her head.

The mother turned to Angela and released Tsubaki from her vice-grip of a hug. "Oh my goodness, I had no idea you two were together. How old is she?"

Tsubaki's jaw dropped as she heard the words. She wanted to respond but her tongue was tied. Black Star looked up at his ward and asked, "How old are you now?"

"Mm, I forget," Angela replied.

"Don't listen to them!" Tsubaki finally managed to say. "We're not- I mean, she's not-" She hung her head to try and hide her reddening face. "We're not actually her parents."

Rachel's mother tried to apologize to an embarrassed Tsubaki as Black Star and Angela attempted to discern the little witch's age. Rachel and her father wisely chose to stay out of the entire affair.

 

\\\\\

 

The parks in Death City were surprisingly lush considering they were located in the middle of the Mojave Desert. This one was no different, filled with a variety of flowers and trees. It was underneath one of these trees, a ponderosa pine of decent size, that Tsubaki had come to rest.

The clock had not stretched too late into the afternoon but her eyelids were already beginning to grow heavy. She pushed her back against the bark of the tree, trying to keep herself from drifting off. Her companions had not yet run out of energy, not surprising considering Angela's age and Black Star's exuberance.

She watched as they crouched behind a neighboring tree, attempting to spy on another group in the park. Black Star seemed to be teaching Angela how to sneak up on an unsuspecting target, a lesson which Tsubaki was skeptical about to say the least. To his credit, she had to admit that what she could hear him say sounded accurate.

She smiled. It was nice to see Black Star and Angela spending time together. Admittedly it was not how she had planned to spend her day, but it had helped remind her that the real Black Star wasn't like what she had imagined in her dreams.

She tensed up as her mind drifted back to that vivid scene that was almost too real. She remembered being filled with anxiety and shame but at the same time a wild excitement. She looked over to her partner, still in the middle of his lecture. She remembered the way he had looked at her last night, eyes harsh and commanding. Her gaze drifted over his well-muscled arms and she suddenly imagined them wrapped around her body as he-

Tsubaki closed her eyes tight, trying to regain focus. Her head was swimming and for some reason she swore she smelled vanilla. She assured herself that she was simply tired, her mind drifting to strange and unusual places in confusion.

"I didn't realize it was so hard to fall asleep in my radiant presence." Her eyes flew open to find Black Star looking down at her. "If I'd known I was that distracting I would have gotten you a blindfold."

She tried not to focus on the idea of him putting a blindfold over her eyes as she asked, "Where's Angela?"

His chest puffed out. "My apprentice is putting into practice the skills I've taught her." He crossed his arms and nodded his head, apparently oblivious to the laughter and shouting off in the distance. "She shows great promise, even if she'll never reach my level of skill."

"Of course not," she replied as she tried to stifle a giggle. He strode over and sat next to her against the tree. For the briefest moment, Tsubaki swore she felt her heart skip a beat before a cocktail of logic and exhaustion brought her back to reality.

"Don't get me wrong, she's a quick study," he said, "But who could ever achieve the same level as the man who transcends the gods?" She resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Once you got Black Star started on his favorite subject, it was almost impossible to get him to stop. Not that she was completely upset about it. She smiled as she thought how nice it was to have some normalcy return to her life.

"Trust me it's not easy being the Great Black Star. It's not something just anyone could do." He gazed forward into the trees, his voice growing quiet. "You're in the spotlight so long, sometimes you lose sight of the what's around you. Of who's around you."

Tsubaki was silent as he continued. "Like sometimes it's easy to think someone has fallen for you. When you're such a big shot, you think to yourself 'how could they not?'" He paused, afraid to say the wrong words. "When maybe the reality is that you've fallen for them."

"I know it doesn't make up for what I did," he said, still unable to meet her gaze. "I just thought you deserved to know how I feel about you." Black Star tensed up as something light settled against his shoulder. He turned to his partner and found the pale, raven-haired girl resting her head on his shoulder.

The spiky-headed god of war felt his face light up like a traffic signal. He opened his mouth, ready to shout a victorious cry. He preempted his traditional yahoo, however, when he noticed the soft, rhythmic breathing coming from Tsubaki. He looked back and realized with a hint of disappointment that she was asleep.

He sighed and whispered, "Once again, I am too soon. Time just hasn't caught up with me yet."

He continued to gaze down at her sleeping face. Her mouth was open in an uncharacteristically goofy smile, a tiny dribble of saliva coming from the corner. He smiled and shook his head. "I guess it has been a pretty long day for you."

"Did you blow it again?" He snapped out of his reverie and turned his head to find Angela hanging upside-down from the tree.

He narrowed his eyes and said, "You know, it's not too late to use you for Death Scythe components." The little witch just stuck out her tongue at him in reply.

 

\\\\\

 

Tsubaki hummed to herself as she chopped a large, red bell pepper into strips. She slid the slices of pepper into a saucepan already full of chicken, onion, and spices. The steam coming from the saucepan filled the kitchen with a sweet, spicy scent and a sweltering heat. She wiped the sweat away from her forehead and reached for a carrot which she began to chop into pieces.

The front door swung open with a slight creak, but she pretended not to hear it. She knew how he liked to think he caught her by surprise. The thought made a smile with all kinds of unseemly ideas behind it spring to her face as she added the carrot pieces to the mixture.

She was about halfway through cutting up a zucchini when he reached her. His steps were by no means quiet as he snuck up behind her but she continued to play oblivious, humming softly as she prepared dinner. In one swift move he grasped her by the arm and around the waist. The game had begun.

"Well, what do we have here?" he whispered into her ear as he slowly ran a hand down her thigh. His other hand tightened around her wrist and her hand opened in reply, the knife clattering uselessly to the countertop.

She slipped into her role effortlessly, whimpering as he held her tight. "Please, my husband will be home soon."

His voice was positively sinister as he said, "Oh I think I'll have plenty of time before then." His hand traced the hem of her skirt and hiked it up over a pair of black, lacy panties that clung to her curves. He gave a low, long whistle as his fingertips brushed against her hips, sending shivers of pleasure all throughout her body. "You like that, do you?"

He brought her arm behind her back and pushed himself against her, his free hand digging into her soft hind flesh. "Ah!" she cried out. "Do whatever you want but please don't hurt me."

"Oh don't worry. It won't hurt," he said, letting go of her wrist. He tilted her head back to see her face. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips were trembling. "Unless you want it to hurt, that is."

He leaned in and tasted her lips. Tsubaki leaned into his kiss, her tongue exploring his mouth as his hands began to roam all over her body. He cupped her breasts over her apron and she felt his excited member poke her from behind. It was as he reached down for the space between her legs that she could take no more.

"Wait!" she said, pulling away from his lips. "I need to finish cooking dinner."

Black Star raised an eyebrow, malicious intent replaced by disappointment. "Babe, you are killing the mood here."

"Ten more minutes, I swear." She leaned back in for one more kiss. "Then I can go slip out of these clothes and get more comfortable."

"Alright," he said with a frown. He allowed her to pull away from his grasp and continue her work. She returned to chopping as he stared at her hungrily. "You know the clothes I could do without, but you should definitely keep the apron on."

Tsubaki smirked. "Ooh, is that a command or just a suggestion?"

"What do you think?" he whispered into her ear as he walked away.

Ten minutes later he was waiting in the living room, his fingers drumming into the armrest. At last she strode in, wearing nothing but the plain white apron she had been cooking in. The curves of her breasts stuck awkwardly out of the sides of the thin apron top. Even after all these years she felt herself blushing at his gaze.

"Thank you for waiting," Tsubaki said, affecting the manner of a hostess. She gave a slight bow and asked, "Is there anything I can prepare for you master? Something to eat? Maybe a bath?"

Black Star rose from his chair and began to circle her with slow, purposeful steps. He held himself like a professional critic, scrutinizing her smallest faults and imperfections as though for the first time. But his eyes, greedily sweeping across every inch of her body, were those of a predator. She felt her heart race as apprehension and anticipation melted together and rippled through her body.

At last her judge spoke up. "No thanks, I think I'll just have you instead."

She swallowed her mounting excitement, staying in character as she pleaded, "S-surely there's something you'd like more than... me?"

His response was far less verbal, bringing her into a tight embrace and passionately kissing her on the lips. His fingers roamed along her back like pinpricks of electricity dancing across her skin. His lips, warm and wet, broke away from hers and roamed down over her slender neck. She moaned in pleasure at his kisses, tilting her head to give him more space to work.

The soft sensation of kisses gave way to a brief pinch as he gave her a playful bite. She let out an impassioned cry as she felt him mark her skin. Spurred on by her reaction, he nipped her again and again, traveling down her neck to her collarbone. She was only barely aware that she was grinding her hips against him as he pulled away from her eager form.

He laughed. "Well you're certainly ready!" She felt her face redden again as he said, "But I have a different idea." He reached into a paper bag leaning against his chair, producing a large bundle of rope.

At his command she turned around and kneeled down, crossing her arms behind her back. She felt her heart pound and her breath grow shallow as she waited to be bound. Black Star worked with a speed and precision that always left her breathless. His ropes were tight against her skin with practically no room for her to wriggle out. He would often bring up concerns that he was tying her too tight. Of course such worries would only inspire her to ask for something tighter.

In a matter of moments he had her arms tied and her thighs bound to her ankles. He crouched down in front of her to get a better look at his captive as she squirmed against her restraints, ostensibly trying to escape.

"I was thinking we might have a little contest," he said. He reached into his pocket and produced a three-inch long yellow capsule with a string attached.

"What kind of contest did you have in mind mas-Ah!" she squealed as he reached under her apron and spread her folds open to slip the smooth, cold capsule inside of her. She gasped at his touch and the foreign object pushing against her insides. It was a warm-up, a taste of things to come, that left her shuddering even after his hands left her most sensitive spot.

He crossed back to his chair and sat down as she continued to twitch. "I want to see which one of us can last the longest," he said as he unzipped his fly and pulled out his self-titled ultimate weapon.

"If you win, I'll give you whatever reward you want. I'll even untie you if you'd like." She smiled and rolled her eyes. It didn't seem like much of a reward. "But if you lose, well, I'm afraid I'm going to have to punish you."

She contemplated her position. If she could get him in her mouth she'd have him at her mercy. Of course that would require actually reaching his chair in her current state. On the other hand, a penalty didn't sound entirely bad either.

She quickly slipped back into role and said, "Whatever you'd like, master."

"I like the sound of that! Let's begin shall we?" He pulled a remote control out and tapped it with his thumb. At once the tiny device inside of her began to vibrate. The sensation was far stronger than a tickle, particularly placed against such a sensitive spot, but stopped short of bringing her to climax.

Tsubaki felt the vibration melt through her muscles, threatening to reduce her to a quivering pile of gelatin on the carpet. For the briefest moment she was tempted to sit back and ride the waves of pleasure. Soon enough, though, her conscious mind came roaring back, ready to beat her 'master' at his own game.

She rocked back and forth for a moment, finally crashing into the carpet face down. Crawling to the chair proved much more difficult. Her current rigging only allowed her folded legs to awkwardly shuffle her forward. This alone would have proved challenging, but it was only made more frustrating by the crotch rope digging into her with every movement. Every awkward jiggling movement dragged it across her clit, intensifying the sensations of the love egg nestled within her and eliciting another moan of pleasure from the constrained woman.

Black Star seemed to take great interest in this struggle, as evidenced by his intense gaze and slowly stiffening cock. "You know, that's not a bad strategy you're using," he began somewhat rhetorically, "but I think you might need to get moving." Another touch of his remote made the device vibrate much faster, causing her to shudder with renewed vigor.

"T-that's cheating!" she cried out, dropping out of character.

He shrugged. "All's fair in love and war. This is kind of both."

Tsubaki gasped for breath. Lust burned through her mind and body like an inferno. She was stopping every two steps, resisting the urge to rub against the rope and risk climaxing. At long last, after what felt like an eternity, she reached her target.

With more rocking she managed to roll on her back and pull herself back into a kneeling position. She knew there was no time for finesse, her body was ready to explode into sense-shattering orgasm any moment now. She dove for the erect shaft before her, mouth opened wide like a fish.

His hands were faster than she could have anticipated. Rather than wrapping her lips around her partner, she found something else forcefully stuffed in her gaping mouth. It was large, round, and tasted of plastic. He cinched the straps protruding from the gag behind her head, leaving her wide-eyed and dumbfounded. Just like a fish, she had been baited, reeled in, and now she was cooked.

"Oh I'm sorry," he said with feigned sympathy, "I completely forgot to gag you. That was my mistake." She didn't even have time to respond as he ratcheted up the vibrator once more. All she could do was moan into the plastic ball-gag as every muscle in her body tensed up in one massive burst of ecstasy. Her heart became a drum pounding in her skull and her breathing became ragged. She collapsed into the carpet, drool seeping from her mouth.

Time passed but she couldn't be sure how much. Her mind was a complete blank as she looked up to see Black Star's face and feel his hands running gently through her hair. She was vaguely aware of her head being in his lap, but that was about as far as her perception could reach.

"I'm sorry I had to trick you," he said, genuine remorse in his voice this time. "But you did a great job. And I'm also sorry because I still have to punish you."

Her eyes fluttered open and closed several times, still trying to make sense of what was happening. She tried to mutter, "That's okay," but through the gag she was fairly certain it was just garbled sound.

"What's okay?"

She tried to say, "I'm ready," and was surprised when she actually heard the words come out of her mouth.

"Are you feeling alright?"

Tsubaki opened her eyes completely. It was dark and her vision was blurred. Her mouth, however, was indeed unobstructed. She could feel herself being carried, someone's arms supporting her at her head and the back of her knees.

Her thoughts were muddled as she waited for her vision to focus. Where was he taking her? Could this be part of her punishment? "Where are we going?" she asked groggily.

"Home," a familiar voice replied. She looked up to find a friendly face hovering over her.

"Black Star?" she asked.

The blue-haired war god flashed a grin. "The one and only." Only he wasn't the only one, certainly not the one she had expected. Her memories came flooding back and she realized, with some embarrassment, that she had been dreaming once again. "I would have had you home sooner, but I had to help out my protégé."

Another bright, cheerful face popped out from behind his head. "I got chased by guards!" Angela said.

She smiled at the little witch as her thoughts turned back to her current state. "You carried me?" she asked.

"I carry you all the time, it's no problem," he replied. "Even when you're not a weapon, you're not all that heavy."

She nodded, feeling a blush come to her face. She tried to get onto her feet only to find that her limbs were immobilized. She broke out in a cold sweat as she realized she had once again activated her shadow limbs in her sleep.

"I know you want to get up but hear me out," her partner said, apparently oblivious to her predicament. "You're still pretty worn out from today and you probably didn't sleep much last night. And luckily, since your partner is easily the strongest warrior in all of creation, it's no problem for you if you just wanted to relax the rest of the way. Just sit back and let the Great Black Star take care you."

Tsubaki looked down and nodded, unable to argue with her meister. "Okay," she said, her voice very small. She wasn't quite ready to leave his arms.

She wasn't quite ready to dismiss the shadow limbs either.


	5. Melting Point

It was the sound of rustling fabric that first caused him to stir.

In the beginning it was just ambient noise intruding on the formless limbo of his dreams. He tried to ignore it, to remain blissfully unaware of the outside world, but his senses were intent on pulling him back to reality, screaming if necessary.

Soon the faint smell of sweat tickled his nostrils. He felt something pushing against his face, not painfully but with a pressure that was impossible to ignore. Frustration mounted as he brought his hand up to swat it away. He was surprised to find his hand stopped well short of his face. He tried to bring his other hand up and found it similarly stuck. Whatever was pushing into him started rubbing against his face with a steady rhythm.

With no alternative left he forced his eyes open, intent on finding out what had woken him and throwing it out a window. What he found was a pair of thighs wrapped around his head and a familiar face smiling down at him.

"Good morning Tsubaki," Black Star said, her voice warm and soothing.

Tsubaki's sleep-filled eyes were wide in an instant, searching as best they could in his current position. His partner was kneeling over his shoulders, her toned, muscular legs pinning him to the bed. Her face was positively rapturous as she looked down at him.

"I can only imagine how you're feeling," Black Star said. "It's not everyone who get to awaken to the sight of a goddess. I'm almost a little jealous."

He opened his mouth to speak but found his voice muffled by her sky blue panties. He felt his face grow hot as he tried not to think about what was behind the blue cloth, rubbing against him with increasing speed.

"What's that?" she asked as she writhed on top of him. "You know, it's not polite to talk with your mouth full."

Tsubaki felt his body heat skyrocket and shook his head, trying again to speak to his meister.

Black Star laughed and ruffled his hair. "Oh you are just adorable when you're struggling!" At last she relented and shifted off of his shoulders, settling back onto his chest.

Tsubaki's face was bright red as he cried, "What are you doing?!" He tried to push Black Star off but his wrists were fastened into place by something soft. He looked to his sides to find fuzzy yellow handcuffs chaining each hand to a foot of the bed. "Get these things off of me!"

"Aw, but we were just getting started!" she said with a pouty face. She began to trace a finger over his bare chest and Tsubaki realized for the first time since he had awoken that he was completely naked. "Can't I just play for a little while longer?"

"Stop fooling around!" His heart was pounding like a combustion engine. He turned away from her and asked, "Why are you doing this?"

She tilted her head to the side, her mouth lulling open slightly. "Isn't this what you want?"

He blinked. "What?"

"Isn't this what you want?" she repeated for emphasis. There was a serious, almost melancholic quality to her voice that threw him. He looked back up and her playful disposition was gone. Furrowed eyebrows hung down over piercing turquoise eyes. "Aren't you exactly where you want to be?"

For a long moment he was silent, his mind lost in her words. Wasn't she right? Isn't this what he couldn't stop thinking about? Why on earth was he fighting against her? "No," he spoke at last, shaking these thoughts from his mind. "You're wrong."

Black Star stretched out over his body like a warm blanket. His muscles clenched apprehensively as legs slid over his, her hands clasping his bare chest. "That's a lie," she said, her face only inches away from his. "You're just playing the part."

"What part?" he asked before giving a short yelp as she pinched his erect nipple.

"Your part. The goody-goody who doesn't have an indecent bone in his body." She wrapped her legs around his hips and pulled herself up. He winced as he felt her fingernails scratch across his stomach. "But we both know that's a lie."

"No it is-Ah!" He moaned as he felt her body begin to rock into him like waves against a beach. He had no doubt that she could wear him down to sand given enough time.

"That's why you struggle. You play the part of the helpless victim," she continued, "because it gives you an escape. It allows you to give into your desires without owning up to it."

His body felt like it was on fire. He felt his hips push back against hers with a primal rhythm that couldn't be stopped. His body belonged to her even as his mind fumbled to make sense of what was happening.

"That's nonsense!" he shouted. "Where would you even get an idea like that?"

Black Star brought herself to a stop. "You're kind of dense, aren't you Tsubaki?"

While he certainly wouldn't agree with this assessment, Tsubaki was disappointed to find that the best response he could come up with was a curt, "Huh?"

She rolled her eyes and said, "Never mind, we don't have much time left anyway." She scooted off of his lap, allowing his erect member to stand up straight. "Let's just try to enjoy ourselves right now, shall we?"

He gasped as he watched her lips wrap around the head of his cock. Slowly she began to work the shaft in and out of her mouth, keeping her eyes focused on her partner adorable face. Tsubaki felt the last of his reservations evaporate in a wave of passion. It was warm and wet and supremely welcoming inside of her mouth. Her tongue swiftly darted to and fro along his length, taunting him.

She skillfully kept him just a hair's breadth from climax, refusing to push him over the edge too soon. He bit down on his lip, unable to wait a moment longer for release. Seeing his plight, she began to ease up. She popped his head in and out of her mouth, playing with it as if it were a lollipop.

"Please," he begged, "just a little more." She smirked but decided to answer his plea, twisting her lips back around him with renewed speed. With one last flick of her tongue she brought him to the height of ecstasy. He cried out as he felt himself erupt at her touch. His entire body shuddered in pleasure as though a thousand volts of electricity ran through it. He collapsed back into a quivering heap.

Tsubaki awoke with a start, the feeling of sweat-soaked night clothes clinging to her body all too familiar now. She flipped the switch in her soul and felt her shadow tendrils dissipate across her body. A sigh escaped her lips as she drew her limbs back in from their splayed position across her mat.

This had gone on long enough. It had been almost a week since Black Star had first barged in on her yet her dreams had only gotten more intense. It was no longer possible to ignore the situation as one or two random flukes. With a grim determination she pushed herself up. It was time for her to accept what had to be done.

 

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"What do you mean she's not here?!" Black Star shouted.

Maka looked up from her notebook and scowled at the disheveled-looking meister standing on her desk. "What do you think I mean? She's absent."

"No she isn't," he said as he untangled his scarf from around his leg, "she was gone when I woke up this morning."

Soul smirked. "Tsubaki playing hooky? Never thought I'd see the day."

"I swear Black Star," Maka said, looking away as he took off his shirt to turn it inside-out, "only you would be so self-absorbed that you'd lose your own partner."

He ignored her barb as he placed his shirt back on. "Liz, have you seen her today? I really need to talk to her."

"Hmm?" Liz looked up from her nails, the tiniest hint of interest breaking through her bored facade. "Can't say I have."

"Ooh, me neither!" Patty cried with an expected but inexplicable enthusiasm.

"Dude, whatever it is, I'm pretty sure you'll see her later," Soul said. "You remember that she lives with you, right?"

Black Star frowned as he ran a hand through hair that was even more unkempt than usual. "I don't get it. I mean, where would she go?"

"I don't know but maybe you can talk about this WHEN I'M NOT TEACHING A CLASS!" Sid shouted from the podium.

Black Star looked down at the zombie and was silent for a moment before asking, "Hey, where's Screw-On-Head?"

"Didn't show up today," Soul replied. "Seems he's taking the day off too."

"Hmm," Black Star murmured. "You don't suppose he has something to do with her disappearance?"

Maka raised an eyebrow. "I don't think I'd call it a disappearance. You're making this sound like the start of some slasher movie."

"It's Doctor Stein," Soul said. "Everything relating to him sounds like a slasher movie."

"Might as well start there just in case," Black Star said before rushing out of the classroom, much to Sid's frustration.

"Black Star, get back here damn it!" the zombified teacher shouted.

"In case of what?" Liz couldn't help but ask.

 

\\\\\

 

Tsubaki couldn't move an inch. Her arms and legs were splayed out and held down by thick leather restraints. Several straps were pulled across the width of her body at one foot intervals, forcing it against the cold table beneath her. Her head was strapped down as well, forcing her to gaze straight ahead into the dark patchwork ceiling above her. The sight of sharp metal tools on the table just out of the corner of her eyes sent a chill down her spine.

Bound and completely helpless, she couldn't help but tense up as she saw him. She felt like a wounded animal cornered by some massive jungle predator. The glare off his glasses even looked like the eyes of a tiger in the moonlight. He could do anything he wanted to her while she was restrained. She was slightly embarrassed that such a thought actually excited her, but the gleam off his tools quickly brought her disposition back to terror.

All in all, Tsubaki was regretting her decision to come to Dr. Stein for help.

The doctor took a seat next to her and smiled like the Chesire Cat. "Comfy?" he asked in a sing-song voice.

She certainly wouldn't describe it as 'comfy' but she decided to be polite rather than antagonize him. "It's, er, very nice," she said, her mind drifting back to excitement for a fraction of a second. "But I was thinking maybe we could just talk?"

"Oh, of course," he said. With a snap of his fingers the restraints unlocked and retracted back into the table. Another snap and the table tilted upright and folded strategically into a chair right underneath her. "Sorry about that, Tsubaki. I just put this thing together and I really wanted to see if it worked."

"It's fine," she replied. She rubbed her wrists and sighed; for the briefest moment she had feared she was having another dream. "Thank you again for agreeing to see me."

"Don't mention it," the doctor said, "you gave me an excuse to blow off work. Now you say your weapon transformation has been manifesting unconsciously?"

She nodded. "Not a total transformation, but the shadows of the uncanny blade have been appearing on me while I sleep. More than that, they've been constricting me."

"Your weapon form has been attacking your human form?" Stein asked.

"Not exactly," she replied, casting her gaze out the window. "I don't think the shadows have been trying to hurt me. It's just that the past few nights they've been restraining me while I slept. But they only act while I'm unconscious. I wake up and I have total control over them."

"Hmm," Stein murmured, resting his head on his hands. "Acting against your will? Interesting." The doctor's hand reached over towards his table of instruments and Tsubaki felt her hair stand on end. He picked up a stethoscope and asked, "Would you mind breathing in for me?"

She sighed once again. "Of course," she replied, allowing him to examine her. "Do you think it could be a symptom of madness?"

"Madness seems unlikely in your case," he said, placing the instrument against her back. "Your psych evaluations look good and you have no history of instability. Besides, a case of madness that powerful wouldn't end on command." Stein finished listening to her heartbeat and paused. "Do you have any recollections from while you slept? Any strange dreams or hallucinations?"

"Well, it's all a bit fuzzy," she said, trying not to meet the doctor's gaze.

He circled around and sat in front of her, hands folded in front of his face. "Anything at all might give some insight into what's causing this."

"I…" she said as she fidgeted with the wrappings that covered one of her arms. “The thing is it's all a bit embarrassing."

"Oho!" Stein cried, a goofy grin crossing his face. "I think I’m starting to understand the situation."

Her face turned an intense shade of scarlet. "Wait, wait, wait!" she cried. "That's not what I meant!"

The doctor giggled as he spun idly in his chair. "Honestly, Tsubaki, I never would have expected you to have such an active imagination."

She shot a dirty look his way. "It's not funny. Do you really think I want this to be happening?"

"That is a distinct possibility," he said, bringing his swivel chair to a quick stop. His manner became professional again as he continued, "In all seriousness, your weapon form might be tapping into some unconscious thoughts or desires. If that is what's happening, it could indeed be that you're controlling it subconsciously."

She thought back on what the Black Star in her dreams had said. "Could something like that really happen?"

"Theoretically I believe it could. However the symptoms you're describing suggest some massive cognitive dissonance on the part of the test subject." His attention snapped back to his patient as he said, "I mean, on your part. Have you been extremely stressed or somehow conflicted lately?"

"I don't know," she said with a frown. "Maybe."

His voice was uncharacteristically soft as he said, "The state of your soul is central to your powers. If your mind is in conflict, so too is your soul."

Tsubaki stood up from the chair. "Are you certain? I mean is it possible it could be something else affecting my abilities?"

"I'm never one-hundred percent sure of anything," Stein said as he rose to his full height. That Chesire Cat smile returned to his face as he looked down at her, his eyes lost behind a glare on his lenses. "At least not until I dissect it."

"O-oh, is that right?" she asked, unable to stop herself from trembling.

He drew closer, his body blocking her way to the door and freedom. "Would you care to donate your body to science, Tsubaki?" he said, his voice dripping with sinister implications.

She didn't back away, but desperately wanted to. She tried to put on a polite smile and said, "No thank you."

Stein didn't back down; he continued to move closer until his face was only inches away from hers. "Oh, are you sure? There's no telling the kind of breakthroughs we could make if you let me cut you open."

The peculiar buzz of the doorbell sounded. "Oh, excuse me!" he said, shifting on a dime from psychopath to polite host. He made his way out of the examination room and wound through his labyrinthine laboratory to the front door.

"Well hello there," Stein said as he looked down on the mop of blue hair that topped his new visitor. "What can I do for you?"

"Where's Tsubaki?" Black Star asked with a stubborn urgency that Stein couldn't resist playing off of.

"Tsubaki? Hmm, I can't quite remember where I put most of her." He stroked his chin and added, "Give me a minute, it'll come to me."

Black Star pushed past the good doctor, obviously in no mood for games. "Alright Hostel, where is she?"

"Ah!" the doctor exclaimed, slapping his fist against his palm. "That's it, I was showing her the examination room. You're lucky, I'm fairly certain I left her in one piece."

"Hardy har," he replied as he followed Stein back into the lab.

Stein was quite surprised to find the room empty. His face was blank as he said, "Huh. Maybe I did cut her up?"

Black Star bared his teeth and said, "Not funny, Doc, now where is she?" He began to move frantically around the room, searching through closets and drawers.

The mad scientist shrugged his shoulders, his arms held out at his sides. "I don't know what to tell you, this is where I left her."

"Gah!" Black Star shouted. "Forget it! I don't have time for this!"

Without another word he dashed out of Stein's home-laboratory. The doctor shrugged once more, wondering if he should be concerned about memory lapses. Before he could begin another self-examination, however, he noticed that the window in the corner was hanging wide open. He felt a smile come to his face.

'I've still got it,' he thought as he wandered off to perform another experiment.

 

\\\\\

 

The locker room was nearly empty after the usual post-P.E. rush. Steam from a dozen showers still permeated the air, dotting the bone white tiles with water droplets. Occasionally a drop would swell too large and slide down, leaving a visible trail on the tiles. Tsubaki watched one such drop as it fell all the way down to the floor, joining a pool of its fallen comrades.

Her eyes turned from the still water to her outstretched hand. A thin tendril of jet-black wound across the pale white skin of her palm. With a thought she reached down into her soul and made the strand of shadow vanish along with a dozen more. Another thought tattooed them back onto her body.

She slipped the shadows off and back on again over and over, trying very hard to ignore her fractured train of thought. Her visit to Doctor Stein had only increased her anxiety. In a strange way, she had hoped that there was some sinister explanation for her condition because the only alternative left butterflies in her stomach and ice water in her veins.

Could these really be her feelings? Could this be what she really wanted? She knew she loved Black Star deeply as a friend but this was different. This was lust and dread and every tangled emotion in between.

Her thoughts turned once again to that unfortunate yet fateful moment in the gym. The ominous resolve in his eyes and in his touch had lit a fire in her heart but did she really want to see it return? She thought of him ripping off her clothes, tying her down, ravishing her in the most humiliating ways. Could she trust him to control himself? Did she even want him to?

She brought the shadows back but didn't turn them off this time. With some concentration she forced all the shadows covering her body to coalesce into an orb in her palm. She closed her fingers around the orb and felt the cold surface kiss her skin. Had the shadows of the uncanny blade always been this cold?

Feeling an entirely different anxiety enter her mind, Tsubaki's eyes darted around the locker room searching for anyone else. Satisfied that she was indeed alone she willed the shadows back into her skin, forming a single short strand with them. She directed the strand up her arm, over her collarbone, and down her chest. It stopped for a brief moment as a pang of guilt ran through her mind. She ignored the nagging sensation, enthralled by the chill running down her naked body, and directed the shadow further down.

Tsubaki gasped.

 

\\\\\

 

Black Star kicked the door open with a shout. The locker room answered back with an echo and then silence. A lesser man might have been discouraged by such a tepid response but he was no lesser man. Furthermore he was running out of time and places to look.

He dashed through the room, attention snapping rapidly between shower stalls and rows of lockers. They all seemed empty, unlike the last three locker rooms he'd checked. While this meant less violent outbursts from distressed women (he had successfully managed to dodge most of what was thrown at him), it was also slightly upsetting. If she wasn't here he might have to start looking someplace boring. He shuddered as he contemplated searching an office or, worse yet, the library.

He ran past a fifth row of lockers and skidded to a halt, nearly slipping on the floor. He scuttled backwards, hoping the quick glance he'd taken hadn't been wrong. His frustration subsided for the moment as he gave a victorious smile.

"Tsubaki! There you are!" he cried.

It was indeed Tsubaki, looking rather flustered and upset. Her hands were at her hips and she had that 'you are in serious trouble' look in her eyes. Black Star wasn't a big fan of the look, but he had to admit it commanded attention. She was also naked save for a towel covering her curvier features. Not that Black Star was paying attention to such things, of course. They were beneath his divine notice.

"Black Star." Her voice was full of barely-restrained anger. " **What** do you think you're doing?"

He gestured to her with an outstretched arm and said, "Trying to find you! I've been looking all over!"

She didn't seem satisfied by the answer. "And you didn't consider I might not want you to come charging in here?"

"It's fine, I've seen you naked before." Black Star regretted these words even before shurikens came flying towards him. He dove out of the way of the first and scrambled up a locker like a monkey, avoiding a second in the process.

"I'm not fooling around," she said, a kunai at the ready. "Leave now!"

He perched atop the locker and held his arms up. "Cut me some slack! How was I supposed to know what you were thinking? I've barely seen you this week and when we are together it's like you're on autopilot!"

Tsubaki made her weapon vanish but continued to glare daggers at him. He turned away from her gaze with a huff.

"Excuse me for showing some concern," he said in a bitter voice. He hopped down from the locker and stomped away.

He was a few steps away from the door when he heard her cry, "Black Star wait!" He turned back to find her looking so pitiful that even he couldn't help but frown. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap like that."

His irritation evaporated as he looked into her deep indigo eyes. "I get it, you wanted to be alone. I just wanted to make sure you knew that the Great Black Star is here if you feel like talking."

"I know." She nodded and a smile came to her face. Black Star knew it was fake. He'd learned a long time ago how to spot the difference, at least when something was seriously wrong. He had always thought her smile was beautiful, like a work of art. Whenever she forced herself to smile, however, it was like a bad forgery.

He said nothing about it. Even a forgery was better than seeing nothing at all. Besides, it was a bad time to start another fight. "Get changed quick. We've got a mission.”

Tsubaki's eyebrows rose. "What is it?"

A grin formed on his face as he said, "Seems we've got some leftovers to mop up."


	6. Boiling Point

The underground bunker was cold, dark, and cramped. Inside, several men worked feverishly at large control panels all surrounding a massive tube full of swirling darkness. Every few seconds one would shout out a status update or request information from another, filling the air with a cacophony of conversation.

CRASH! The sound of an explosion preceded a massive quake that threw most of the men off their feet. A tall individual in a lab coat braced himself against the tube. "No," he said under his breath, looking into the tube. "We need more time!"

Moments later, when the shaking had subsided, he pulled up one of his subordinates and shouted, "Keep working! We must continue! They will not stop us! Not when we are so close!"

The other minions nodded in approval and continued to work, ignoring the sounds of destruction coming from above them. After one final confirmation several of the men entered a complex sequence on their terminals. The room was bathed in light as Tesla coils directed massive bolts of electricity into an array that topped the tube. The director looked up as the bright white lighting began to turn black. If his mask weren't obscuring his face, one would have seen tears of joy well up in his eyes.

"Yes... Yes, we've done it!" he cried moments before the ear-piercing screech of steel-on-steel sounded against the bunker door. With a deafening crash the massive bunker doors exploded in, obscuring the entrance in smoke. His mouth formed into a twisted grimace.

A voice, deafeningly loud and shrill, shouted through the smoke, "Knock-knock you fucking cultist bastards!"

"Damn DWMA dogs," the director snarled as the smoke began to dissipate, revealing a blue-haired young man dressed in white wielding a katana.

"I'm guessing these guys aren't interested in surrendering either, eh Tsubaki?" Black Star asked his partner.

"You'd think their loyalty to Arachne would have ended once she was killed," she replied.

The director threw out his arms and smiled. "You damn puppets of the Reaper, so high and mighty, thought you had killed our Queen! But you heretics are just in time to see Lady Arachne's glorious rebirth!"

"Rebirth?" Tsubaki repeated.

"Gonna be pretty hard to bring her back," Black Star said, "considering Medusa stole her body and Maka took her soul."

"Oh, it wasn't easy," the mad scientist chuckled, taking delight in explaining to his enemies their imminent demise. "It took incredible diligence and patience but finally we, the science division of Arachnophobia, managed to collect enough residue of Arachne's soul from her shield golem! Now, with the power of Eibon's demon tools, we shall bring our glorious Queen back to life! AHAHAHAHA!"

"Hey, Tsubaki," Black Star asked, completely ignoring his opponent. "I was never great at soul studies, but I'm pretty sure that what he just said makes no freaking sense. I mean, seriously? Soul residue?"

"Well, it does sound pretty silly," she said, the barest hint of pity in her voice.

"Hey!" the Arachnophobia director shouted. "Are you damn bastards ignoring me?!"

Black Star glared back with a bored expression. "Oh shut up! Like anyone cares about your lame science experiment! I'm here now, which means your show has just been cancelled in favor of a much more entertaining one!"

At that exact moment, cracks began to form all down the side of the tube. The meister's eyes widened and the director began to laugh.

"YES!" he cried. "Arachne, come back to us! Smite those who would oppose you!"

Within her soulscape, Tsubaki narrowed her eyes. "Black Star, be ready for anything."

"Yeah," he replied, shifting into a fighting stance.

"My Queen..." the Arachnophobia director cried as the tube shattered before them in a cloud of glass and black smoke. As the smoke cleared, a tiny black ball tumbled out of the ruined tube. It rolled to the ground and stopped at the director's feet. "M-my Queen?"

Upon closer inspection, the little ball was a tiny spider-like creature with seven misplaced limbs. It looked like a stuffed toy with a big goofy grin. Pathetic didn't even begin to describe it.

"Bwahahaha!" Black Star laughed. "Nice queen you've got there! I can't believe you geeks thought that would work!"

"I-I don't understand..." the director of Arachnophobia's science division said as he turned away from his failure. "I was so sure we would bring back Arachne. How could we have been so wrong?" His lament was so loud that he barely noticed as his creation began to grow much larger, rocketing in size to reach the ceiling of the tiny bunker. Its face was no longer silly. Now it bore a massive maw with dripping mandibles below eight bulbous eyes. It still only had seven legs, though.

Every other Arachnophobia agent gasped up at the creature. Black Star stopped laughing and paid attention to the beast. Only the director was completely unaware of this mutation. He turned back around and cried, "Oh Arachne, why have you forsaken-" His words were cut short as the spider's maw shut over his head. His body, now headless, crumpled to the ground in a heap.

Showing little devotion to their revived Queen, the other Arachnophobia agents began screaming and running out of the bunker past Black Star. The meister, on the other hand, stood his ground. He held his weapon up in a defensive stance.

"I guess this is going to be a little more interesting than we'd thought," he said. The spider monster finished tearing into the dead agent's body, leaving his soul bobbing up and down harmlessly in the air. The creature stared down at Black Star hungrily. "Get ready Tsubaki."

"Right!" the weapon replied.

The spider beast roared and launched itself forward. Black Star nimbly jumped over his opponent, planting his katana in the beast's abdomen. The spider issued a screech of pain. Rather than slump to the ground in defeat, however, the creature's upper body began to contort and twist itself with a series of sickening cracks. In seconds its face and forelegs were twisted backwards and pointed towards the meister.

"Uh oh," he said as he pulled at his katana, which remained wedged in the creature's chitinous exoskeleton. As the beast thrust its forelegs forward to skewer him, he shouted "Tsubaki!"

"Got it!" she replied as Black Star's scarf twisted up and swung in-between the meister and his foe, forming a protective shadow barrier.

Black Star pulled the blade out with a grunt and leapt out of the spider's attack range. "Nice save! Now let's mix this guy up a little bit with Severed Shadow."

"Understood,” she replied as the katana in his hands morphed into shadow and began to shrink in size. She focused on channeling her meister's wavelength, molding the shadows-

-dug deeper into her flesh, restraining her as Black Star's hands felt down her naked body with-

-Tsubaki's concentration snapped. She felt his wavelength disperse rather than rebound out of her soul in resonance. In Black Star's hand the shadows formed into the shape of a simple ninjato rather that a jet black kunai.

"Wait, what just happened?" he asked aloud, looking down at her current form. "Tsubaki, what just broke our resonance?"

"Look out!" she shouted, directing his attention to the spider lunging towards them.

Black Star dodged to the left, letting to the spider crash into a set of terminals. "Tsubaki, Severed Shadow now!"

"R-right," she said, re-tuning into his wavelength as the shadows-

-pinned her arms together tight behind her back, forcing her helplessly to the ground before Black Star-

-she shook her head, trying desperately to ignore the thoughts that kept creeping in. Once again the shadows in her meister's hands solidified from formless shadow into a regular ninjato.

Black Star gritted his teeth. "Tsubaki, what is going on?"

"I don't know!" she cried, shaking her head. "Something is disrupting our resonance. Sorry Black Star, but I don't think we can rely on Shadow Star this time."

"Well," her meister said with a frown as he looked up to the large spider monster that towered over him. "That could be a problem."

Several seconds later Black Star was being chased out of the bunker by that same spider monster.

"Stupid spider," Black Star said as he ran. "You hear me, you reject queen!? One blast from my soul wavelength would tear you to shreds!"

"You're probably right, but she's way too dangerous to get up close to," Tsubaki said.

"Dammit!” he cursed as he leapt up a set of stairs and through the doors to the ground floor. He turned and said, "Tsubaki, switch to kusarigama. We'll set a Trap Star for this killer queen."

"I'll try," she said, her voice shaking. Her shape changed to her classic kusarigama form. Black Star threw one sickle towards the door, the blade tracing through the air and forming a star array. Tsubaki channeled his wavelength as best as she could manage, trying to reinforce her chains without losing focus.

Only seconds later the spider came charging up the stairs, ready to rip Black Star to bits. With a scream it crashed into Tsubaki's web and was caught in her chains. Unfortunately, the spider had more momentum behind it than she was expecting. Rather than trap it, she found her chains tangled on the still rampaging beast.

Black Star managed to dive out of the way of the spider, but failed to let go of his partner's remaining chain sickle. The result was rather unfortunate as he found himself being pulled through the air behind the spider by the kusarigama's chain.

"Tsubaki!" he cried. "Change mode!"

"Into what?!"

"Anything Else!"

Tsubaki heeded her meister's orders and changed into a massive shuriken. Unfortunately, with no chain to hold onto, Black Star suddenly found himself flung into the wall. He didn't land from this crash so much as slide down.

"The planet's rotation... finally caught up with me..." he said between gasps.

"What are you doing, Black Star?" a refined voice called out.

Three shots rang out. Three purple sparks erupted along the carapace of the spider. Black Star and the beast both focused their attention on the figure in black stepping out of the shadows, hefting a sinister-looking pistol awkwardly in each hand.

"Don't just stand there," Death the Kid said as he fired off several more shots at the beast. "Attack!"

Black Star didn't need to be told twice. As the spider crept towards its new target, he ran towards it with impossible speed.

"Soul Menace!" he cried as his palm struck directly into her abdomen, underneath her long legs. The creature seemed to flicker as though it had become intangible. Black Star twisted his hand, ripping the creature's ghost-like form to shreds.

"Good timing Kid," Black Star said as he turned to face his savior. "You were just in time to see me destroy that thing."

"Humble as ever I see." Kid dusted himself off. "Though I am a bit surprised it took you two so long."

Black Star snorted dismissively. "Don't look at me. Something was keeping Tsubaki from accessing Shadow Star." He looked down at his weapon. "Seriously, Tsubaki, what the hell happened back there?"

"I'm sorry okay!" Tsubaki cried, her voice hostile. With a bright flash of light she shifted back into a human being, standing in front of Black Star and Death the Kid. "I'm sorry I couldn't transform, alright! It won't happen again."

Both Black Star and Kid were silent. Neither one spoke but Kid had a perplexed look on his face, while Black Star seemed slightly uneasy.

She scowled at their unexpected scrutiny. "What?!"

"Uh..." Black Star stammered.

"You see..." Kid trailed off.

"Um, Tsubaki?" Light erupted from Kid's hands and transformed into the two Thompson sisters. Patty giggled as Liz shot her a worried look and said, "Are you feeling alright?"

"I'm fine," Tsubaki said, gritting her teeth. "What is wrong with all of you?"

Liz reached into her pocket and pulled out a compact mirror. She handed it to her and said, "I think you may need this."

The raven-haired girl flipped the compact open. Looking back at her in the mirror was her own face striped with ornate black tattoos. With mounting embarrassment, she looked down to see that her entire body was covered in the black markings. Her face grew bright red as she realized what everyone had been looking at.

With a thought, she dismissed the tattoos from her body. Still frowning, she cried out, "Excuse me!" as she ran past her friends and out of the room.

"Hey Tsubaki, wait up!" Black Star called out as he ran after his weapon.

Kid and Liz watched the duo leave with some confusion, while Patty continued giggling. "Did Black Star just chase after Tsubaki?" Liz asked. "Isn't it usually the other way around?"

"I feel as though something is fundamentally wrong here," Kid replied.

"Hey sis," Patty cried, tugging on her sister's sleeve. "Did you notice that Tsubaki was painted like a zebra?"

 

\\\\\

 

The trip back to Death City was surprisingly and uncomfortably silent. Black Star wanted to speak but the pensive look his partner wore coupled with Kid's presence made him decide against it. It wasn't until after they had parted ways from Kid and the Thompsons that he finally decided to talk.

"Look," he began as he rubbed the back of his head. "Sorry about snapping at you earlier, that was unworthy of my greatness."

She nodded but said nothing, her eyes fixed forward as she walked alongside him. She felt like an absolutely horrible human being. Black Star had been in serious danger because of her but instead of feeling guilty she wanted to shout at him until her throat was raw.

He shrugged his shoulders. "So you messed up! All that matters is I managed to finish that thing off like a total badass!" The dour look on Tsubaki's face made him wonder if his inspirational skills needed some work. "Just don't beat yourself up over it, alright? I'm sure you'll have it together next time."

"Black Star," she said tersely. "I really don't want to talk about this right now."

He came to a stop and she followed suit. "Okay then," he said. He paused before adding, "Do you want to talk about something else?"

"Not particularly." She pulled away from him and increased her pace, apparently ending the conversation. He had different ideas.

"Just hold on a minute!" He ran after her and said, "I need to ask you something."

She fought the nagging urge to slow down for him. Without turning back, she said, "I'm sorry but this isn't a good time."

"Why are you avoiding me?"

Tsubaki froze and immediately knew it was a mistake. She buried her frustration and her bitterness deep down. When she turned to face him, her eyes were closed and a cheerful smile played on her face. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't lie to me," he said. His shoes echoed off the cobblestones as he walked up to her. "You're terrible at it."

Her smile dropped. Her eyes opened but turned to the ground. When had everyone gotten so good at seeing through her? "Please just leave me alone," she said, trying her hardest to keep the anger out of her voice. "It's none of your business."

Black Star furrowed his brow. "None of my business?" he asked, angrier than he had intended. "You're my partner. If you have a problem then it has everything to do with me!"

"I said I don't want to talk about it!" She was shouting inches away from his face. She turned her back to him, hoping he would take the hint.

He didn't. "Tsubaki, I'm just trying to help." His voice was softer now, almost pleading. "Whatever's wrong I'm sure I can make it right. I'm the Great Black Star, remember?" She remained silent. He felt his anger get the better of him once again as he cried, "Dammit just stop being so stubborn and talk to me!"

For just one moment Tsubaki forgot that she wasn't upset with Black Star for what he'd done. She forgot that he was the closest friend she'd ever had. She forgot that she didn't want to talk with him because she knew what would happen, what it would mean. She forgot all the things she'd told herself, repressed wrath overriding everything else.

She turned to face him, eyes full of fury, and cried, "Or what? You'll hold me down and force me to talk? Do whatever you want just like always?"

He flinched. Her words were like a spear piercing his heart. It hurt all the more knowing that there was validity to her biting words. Deep down guilt gnawed at him, compelled him to apologize and to beg her for forgiveness.

But things were already too heated. Pigheadedness won out and he shouted, "That's not what I meant! You know I wouldn't do that!"

She gave a short, cynical laugh. "Forgive me but I don't have the same trust in you that I used to!"

"I just want to help you!" His heart pounded in his chest and his knuckles whitened. He didn't know what to do, didn't know how to stop what had already been set in motion. His voice was quiet but just as intense as he said, "That's all I wanted then and that's all I want now: To help you."

"No you don't," she spat. "You just want to control me. And now that you can't you're having a tantrum."

The words hit Black Star like a slap in the face. He felt like he might crumble into dust and blow away. "If that's what you really think," he said, already regretting his words, "then maybe I don't want you for a partner!"

"Fine with me, you pompous idiot!" she said.

Black Star scowled at her. "I'm out of here," he said as he turned and leapt to one of the rooftops. Tsubaki felt a tear roll down her cheek before he was even out of sight.


	7. Alone

Soul yawned as he lay sprawled out on the couch. One foot dangled over the couch arm while the other hung down to the floor. His arms were folded behind his head, his fingers weaving together through his shaggy white hair. Though the sun had already disappeared from the sky, the lazy warmth of afternoon still permeated the apartment. Soul snuggled into the soft, warm upholstery. He felt absolutely relaxed, like the universe was in perfect alignment around him.

An unpleasant thought crossed his mind. 'It's too perfect.'

His eyes darted around the room, searching warily for a flash of purple or nude flesh. This was a trap, it had to be. No way she wouldn't take advantage of a moment like this. He leapt off the couch, ready for her to spring out from anywhere.

After thirty seconds spent scanning the living room for possible ambush points, he shook his head. He was starting to feel less like a cornered mouse and more like a paranoid idiot. Perhaps she wasn't preparing to tackle him. Maybe Maka was making fish tonight. Or maybe she was out at work; she always seemed to keep the strangest hours.

He collapsed back onto the couch, closing his eyes. Living with a literal sex kitten had clearly messed with his nerves. He had just about reached his previous state of relaxation when he heard someone approach. He was apprehensive for a moment before he recognized the steps, clunky and completely lacking in rhythm. He smirked. Even without opening his eyes he knew who was in front of the couch.

"Move Soul,” she commanded.

"No way," he said, swinging both of his legs over the couch arm. "I'm calling dibs."

"You're always hogging the couch." He could tell she was pouting at him just from her tone of voice.

"Yeah," he replied, "but for once the cat isn't trying to molest me. Face it, you're not getting me off this couch."

After a brief silence he was sure he had won. Sometimes she would attempt to push him over to one side or, if she judged him as being a jackass, kick him off the couch. This was usually an immediate reaction, though; her emotions getting the better of her. Now that the moment had passed he was prepared to declare himself in the clear.

He realized that he had declared victory far too soon as he felt something heavy flop onto his abdomen. With a howl of surprise and discomfort he opened his eyes to find Maka sitting on him reading her book.

"What the hell?!" he cried.

She glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "You said you weren't getting up so I'm compromising."

"Alright, I give!" he said, trying not to focus on his meister's ass pushing against his body. "Let me up already."

"Hmm," Maka said, "Nah. I'm pretty comfortable here."

"Come on!" Soul cried. He wanted to try squirming out from under her but the blood rushing rapidly to the lower half of his body made him rethink the plan. At least she was too invested in her book to notice.

"Quiet please," she said, "I'm trying to read." Soul couldn't help but think she was worse than Blair without even trying.

The sound of chimes distracted both meister and weapon from their struggle. Maka looked down at him expectantly.

"What do you want me to do?" he asked.

"I'll get up if you get the door," she said in a sweet voice.

He frowned. "No deal."

She pouted again. "Oh fine," she said, rising up off his stomach. He groaned, shuffling to one side of the couch and trying to get his hormones to stop acting up.

She opened the door and Soul could hear the scowl in her voice as she said, "What do you want?" Whoever their visitor was didn't bother to respond, choosing instead to push past her into the apartment. Soul finally got a good look at their guest as he arrived in the living room and sat down on the couch.

"Black Star?" It was indeed Black Star, looking absolutely miserable. His clothes were torn and bloodied, and while he did bear more than a few cuts it was a fair bet that most of the blood wasn't his. The expression on his face was about as crestfallen as Soul had ever seen his friend, with the possible exception of the time he was exposed to Crona's poetry.

"Dude you look like hell," Soul said, never one to mince words.

Maka walked into the room after him, crossing her arms as she said, "Black Star, what are you doing here?"

The blue-haired boy looked straight ahead as he slowly said, "I think Tsubaki and I just broke up."

 

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Tsubaki picked up another tissue and blew her nose, taking care to toss the used paper into a nearby bin. Her eyes were still red and her vision slightly blurred, although she had long since stopped crying. Even though her tears had stopped, her stomach was still twisted up in knots.

Across from her seat at the stylized skull table Liz fidgeted with a strand of her hair for the third time in a minute. Her eyes, full of both concern and curiosity, were glued to Tsubaki. "So what happened?" the blonde asked, unable to wait a moment longer.

"I..." Tsubaki said, pausing for a moment to consider her words. "We had a fight. I said a lot of terrible things to Black Star. I told him I didn't want to be partners anymore."

Liz's eyebrows rose. "You broke up with him?" She honestly couldn't imagine the demure girl telling off her egotistical partner. "Why?"

The raven-haired girl looked down at her clasped hands and said, "I honestly don't know why. I feel horrible about saying those things but they were truly how I felt. How I feel."

"Well, how do you feel right now?" Liz asked, putting her hands over her friend's.

She looked back up at Liz, eyes full of heartache. "I feel like I'm gonna throw up."

"Here." A silver tray was set down onto the table next to them. On it were four ornate tea cups arranged symmetrically around two tea pots. Kid picked up one of the pots and filled one cup, passing it to Tsubaki as he continued, "Drink this. You'll feel better."

She nodded and took the cup. "Thank you. Did you-"

"I just spoke with Kim," he said as he sat down. "She said she picked up Angela. She also said Black Star hadn't been to your apartment."

She gave a weak smile. "Thanks Kid."

The young reaper poured himself a cup and said, "It's no trouble." He waited exactly eight seconds before he spoke again, his voice firm but even-tempered. "Do you genuinely want to end your partnership?"

She turned the question over in her mind for a long time before she gave her answer. "No. I don't want any of this. I want us to go back to what we were." She thought of their first encounter, of an energetic young boy leaping down to greet her. She remembered embracing him, watching him stumble along the path only to pick himself up, to become what he was always meant to be.

She held back more tears as she continued, "I just don't know if we can." She took a sip from her cup, a strong, bitter taste lingering on her tongue, and hung her head again. "I don't think I can be what he needs anymore."

Kid and Liz exchanged bewildered expressions, both woefully underprepared for the situation. "Look, I don't know what's going on between the two of you," Liz said, "but nobody understands that knucklehead better than you."

"Ooh, I do!" Patty popped up on the fourth side of the table.

Her sister blinked. "Y-you do?"

"Mmhmm," Patty said. "He likes mayhem and titties. Ooh, and violence! Dude loves some violence!" If the excitable girl noticed her sister and meister glaring at her, she certainly didn't show it as she nodded her head.

"My point," Liz said, trying to remove the irritation from her voice, "is you know how to get through to him better than any of us." Tsubaki woefully considered how she also knew better than anyone how to hurt him.

Kid turned his head away from Patty, trying his hardest to ignore the seven spoonfuls of sugar she had put in her tea. "She's right. Whatever it is that's come between you two, I'm sure if you talk to him you can work it out."

"I can't," she said decisively. "I just can't bring myself to face him. Not after what I said, not after what I..." she trailed off, not wanting to speak of her dreams.

Liz reached across the table and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. Nobody's saying you have to talk to him now. Take some time, wait until both of you have cooled off a little."

An idea formed in Tsubaki's mind as Liz spoke to her. It was far from the best idea she'd ever had, but that seemed to be a running theme for her today. She turned back to her friend, a resolute look on her face, and said, "Liz, I have a favor to ask."

 

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"What did you say?" Soul asked, his mouth agape.

Black Star was a statue, an unmoving slab of alabaster topped with aquamarine. His eyes may as well have been two inlaid turquoise gemstones, incapable of roaming from their position. When he finally did speak it was jarring to both Maka and Soul.

"She just... she said that she didn't trust me." The words were heavy in his throat.

Maka looked him up and down, drawn to the crimson stains against his white Spartoi uniform. Her eyes narrowed, dark pupils standing out against seas of green, as she asked, "What did you do?"

"Black Star," Soul said, hoping to diffuse the situation before it could come to be, "What happened?"

Their questions were little more than white noise to him. "How could she say that?" he asked aloud. "How could she think that?"

Maka was trembling with rage, unable to wait another second for his answer. She sprang to the couch with a speed rarely exhibited outside of combat and grasped him by the front of his scarf. Black Star went from statue to ragdoll as she pulled him up, his head lolling to the side.

Her voice was thundering as she cried, "What did you do you sick bastard?!" Black Star's unfocused eyes drifted over to Maka. The thought of her actually posing a threat to him, even in this state, brought the hint of a smirk to his face. She was nowhere near as amused. "I swear if you hurt her I'll make you regret it!"

For the first time since entering the apartment, someone's words seemed to phase him. His mind blazed with anger as a scowl formed across his face. He pulled himself to his full height, half a foot taller than Maka.

"You really think I would hurt her?!" he bellowed. Maka showed no sign of backing down, her fist still wrapped tightly around his scarf.

"Alright that's enough!" Soul rose up off the couch and pushed his friends apart. Holding them at arm's length he said, "Both of you, calm down!" Black Star struggled against Soul's hand, more for show than anything else. Maka, on the other hand, seemed perfectly fine standing where she was.

"She'd let you," she said, a grim certainty to her words. "I know she'd cover for you like she always does."

The blue-haired warrior stopped struggling, her words echoing through his mind. He turned away from her and said, "You don't know anything about her."

It was Maka's turn to fight now, pushing against her partner's arm as she yelled, "I know I'm not gonna let you touch her again!"

"Why would I hurt the most important person in the world?!"

There was silence. Rage had been replaced by absolute confusion, as though their clashing tempers had reached a climax and then did a complete one-eighty. "What?" Maka and Soul both asked, nearly simultaneously.

"I'm the biggest, most powerful thing to ever grace this filthy mud ball! And the person I care about more than anyone or anything else is her!" Black Star said, his face red with what he would call fury and others might incorrectly attribute to humiliation. "That makes her the most important person in the world! And you can damn well bet I would never hurt her!"

Soul blinked repeatedly, trying to reconcile Black Star's legendary ego with what could only be called a confession. Maka was frozen, her mouth opened slightly. She gazed at him with wide eyes and said, "Black Star..."

He turned away before she could say anything else. "I'm done wasting my time with you small fries. Goodbye!"

"Wait a minute!" Soul said as his friend stormed towards the exit. The war god pulled the door open and walked into a rather large pair of breasts. Their owner, a scantily-clad woman with purple hair, knocked him to the ground and tumbled on top of him in one swift, ridiculously clumsy move.

As Black Star attempted to get out from under her, Blair looked up at her roommates with a glow in her cheeks and a massive grin on her face. "Soul! Maka! Why didn't you two ever tell me how good this stuff is?" she said as she hefted up a large bottle half-full of an amber liquid.

"And our cat is drunk," Soul said in a deadpan voice.

 

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Mazzatello Asylum was a long-standing fixture in Death City. Constructed not long after Death sealed away Asura, it saw massive use in its first few decades rehabilitating and caring for those afflicted with madness. As decades stretched into centuries, peace replaced madness as the order of the day and the Asylum became an obsolete system. And yet the building itself had outlived its original purpose, having been given new life by the youth of Death City.

Few would suspect that you could even find life inside of the intimidating structure late at night. One step inside on the right night, however, is all you would need to hear the faint thumping of music coming from the heart of the asylum. Follow the winding corridors further in and you would find a massive dining hall hastily converted into a dance floor.

On this particular night, red and blue lights strobed across the darkened hall in unison with fast-paced synth music. Throngs of young adults, both Academy students and non, filled the room, clad in tight-fitting outfits and dresses showing far too much skin. They were gathered here to be wild, to dance, to do all the things they weren't supposed to but couldn't resist.

It was all a bit overwhelming to Tsubaki as she entered the hall for the first time. Her upbringing in Japan had been relatively sheltered and while she had travelled to many places in the Reaper's service, none of them had been like this.

The environment wasn't the only thing worrying her, however. She looked down at the low-cut black dress barely covering her. The walk here had been a little chilly and dotted by the occasional lingering stare, but inside it was an entirely different experience. Inside it was crowded and sweltering and so very public. She felt like an exhibit on display, some insect pinned to the wall to be studied and examined. Just standing at the doors she could already feel eyes turning towards her.

Although, in fairness, she had to assume they weren't all looking at her.

"Relax," Liz said as she walked up beside her in a clingy red dress with no back. "You look great."

She crossed her arms and said, "I kind of regret not letting Kid finish." When she had asked Liz for help, the young reaper had practically begged to pick out their ensembles for the evening.

Liz shook her head. "Trust me, no you don't. If I hadn't stopped him when I did, he'd have been at it all night."

"Do you think we should have invited him to join us?" she asked.

An awkward smile crossed Liz's face. She hadn't actually told Kid where they were headed. Strictly speaking, holding dances inside of a defunct asylum that was now little more than a historical site wasn't allowed. If the rules violations didn't give him a heart-attack, the asymmetrically arranged crowd definitely would. "I'm pretty sure he said he had plans tonight," she said, reminding herself that she owed Patty later for keeping their meister busy.

Taking another look at the crowd made Tsubaki shudder and say, "I'm starting to think this was a bad idea." She felt her friend's hand clasp her shoulder.

"Just take a deep breath, I've got your back. You said you needed to clear your head and lucky for you I remembered this was going on tonight." She gestured to the massive crowd and said, "This is the perfect place to get your mind off whatshisface."

"What's-" Tsubaki began, her lips pursed, "Wait, you mean Black-"

"Ah-ah-ah!" she corrected. "Not tonight. Don't even think his name. Just be in the moment."

Tsubaki felt a sigh coming on. Right now she was everywhere: in the heat of battle, arguing with her partner, even in her frustratingly vivid dreams. But in the moment she was not. "Okay, where do we start?"

Her friend smiled. "We start by getting you to loosen up. Seriously, you look like Kid finding out about his hair for the first time." Tsubaki couldn't help but crack a smile. "Alright, that's better. I'm going to go get a drink, do you want one?"

She nodded politely. It took a few seconds for her to realize what Liz had just asked. "Wait, a drink-drink? You mean like alcohol? Liz, we're underage!"

"It's alright," Liz said in a far more measured tone, "they're not carding anyone here or anything like that."

"I didn't even know you drank!" Tsubaki cried, sounding only slightly more flustered than she actually was.

The blonde shrugged her shoulders, slightly tempted to laugh at her friend. "It's not that big of a deal. Not like I make a habit of it. Drinking age just wasn't really a factor for me growing up."

For a moment Tsubaki was silent. It was easy to forget just how different Liz's life had been from her own. Surprise was immediately swept up by a wave of regret as she reflected on her reaction. "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry. I wasn't-"

"Forget it." Liz waved her hand, a grin on her face. "You didn't know and you couldn't have. Honestly, I think you might be the first one I've told since I came here." She wasn't counting the time Kid had caught her with a bottle of whisky at three in the morning.

"Still, I don't think I'm really up for it," she said, still slightly in awe of her friend's candid answer. "Is that alright?"

The blonde laughed. "No pressure, girl." Her head perked up as the music changed to a techno track with a rapid tempo. "What say we adjourn to the dance floor?"

Getting out onto the dance floor was a trial. Not that you could tell by looking at Liz, who seemed to glide through the writhing horde as though she were intangible. Tsubaki squeezed through the crowd in Liz's wake, struggling not to lose sight of her.

They eventually came to a relatively open spot within the crowd. They were quite close to the front and Tsubaki could make out an elfin-looking boy with long bangs presiding over the mob. Flanked on either side by massive speakers, the faintest smile could be seen on his face as he deftly manipulated the turntables.

With a sudden swerve Liz turned to face her. "Follow my lead!" she shouted over the din of music. She brought her arms up to her sides and began to shake her hips in time with the rhythm.

Tsubaki awkwardly attempted to mirror Liz's movements. It was an unfamiliar dance to an unfamiliar beat and the end result showed it. She frowned as she staggered about but Liz didn't seem disappointed by her failure; the look on her face was one of comfort and understanding.

Inspired by her friend's patience, she tried to focus on the beat to guide her. The music was fast and booming, a cacophony to be sure but with a distinct pattern to it. Her breathing steadied as she tried to match the beat, the crowded dance floor fading from her vision. She focused on only her partner and the music.

At once her movements seemed to become smoother and more confident. Her dancing was almost like ocean waves, fluid and rocking. Liz didn't miss a beat, shifting to match her partner's steps. They danced in perfect harmony, Liz leaning in as she leaned back. They had started dancing in front of each other but now they were clearly dancing together.

As the music transitioned once again, the world around them seemed to come back into focus for Tsubaki. She was surprised to find that an enthusiastic crowd of onlookers had gathered around them. A few were even cheering.

"That was incredible!" Liz said, her eyes lit up like Christmas lights. "I didn't know you could dance like that!"

Tsubaki's eyes turned down, a bashful smile on her face. "I think I'm ready for that drink now."

 

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"What on earth were you thinking?" Maka asked as she looked down at Blair, who was draped across one of their kitchen chairs. "Don't you know that alcohol is bad for cats?"

Blair smiled and said, "Yeah, but 'sall good cause imma person right now." The purple-haired bombshell hiccupped.

Maka frowned. "That's not an excuse!"

"Your cat," Black Star began, sitting across from them with a look of skepticism, "who works in a cabaret club, has never tried booze?"

The inebriated cat sat up and said, "I tried it before but it always tas'ed terrible. Then Spirit said I needed ta drink more. And he was soooo right!" She collapsed back down, closing her eyes.

Soul looked away with half-closed eyes. "Should have figured your pervy father would be behind this." Maka could only grit her teeth in reply.

"Well this has been a lovely get-together," Black Star said, not sounding remotely sincere. "But if you don't mind I'm going to go find Tsubaki." He got up and made for the door. He didn't get far before he felt a hand grab him by the shoulder.

"No you're not." Maka's voice was level but firm, commanding in a way that even Black Star had to respect.

Not that he was about to let respect get in his way. He turned to face her and his eyes were absolutely wild. "You still want to go Albarn? Fair warning, you might want to call in your boyfriend on this one because I'm not in the mood to pull my punches."

The girl with pigtails was unfazed by his challenge, her green eyes unflinching. "If you go after her now, you'll only make things worse. She's probably still upset and you're a walking powder keg." Her eyes became sullen as she said, "Look, I'm sorry for assuming the worst but if you really want to make things better then listen to me."

He scowled at her for a moment but his anger dissipated under her gaze. His eyes became tired as he collapsed back down into the chair.

A moment later, Maka added, "Did you just call Soul my boyfriend?!"

Black Star looked over to his best friend, his face contorted into a frown. "Sorry about that, bro. I was in a bad place. I didn't mean to insinuate you and tiny tits were a thing."

Soul shook his head and sighed as his meister stood there fuming. "How did you even end up like that anyway?" he asked, pointing at Black Star's tattered and bloody clothes.

"Well, I wasn't exactly in a great mood when I left Tsubaki," he began. "Then I ran into Grohl and got into a bit of fight. After that I beat up Serj, Patrick, Kele, and a few more guys I can't remember." He looked over a solitary patch of blood on his uniform and his forehead scrunched up. "I think this one was from Hiro but to be honest I don't think that was even a duel."

"What on earth happened?" Maka asked as she sat down on an empty chair. "I mean what was it that made her want to separate?"

Black Star shook his head. "I thought she might still be upset about what happened. So I tried asking her about it and she just…" He spread his hands out in a pantomime of an explosion. "Powder keg."

"So she broke up with you just like that?" Soul asked.

The woeful god of war looked down at the bottle they had taken from Blair and said, "To be honest, I think I might have suggested the split. I was just..." His face contorted and he gave a sudden, violent scream that even Blair was shaken by. "Idiot! Why would I do that? What the hell was I thinking?"

He grabbed the bottle off the table. Before he could even remove the cap Maka cried, "Black Star, don't! That's a really bad idea."

"I'm making a mistake tonight, one way or the other," he said morosely, popping the top of the bottle. "You've got two options: Watch me walk out that door and blow it twice or sit there and watch me finish this bottle. Your call."

 

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"What about him?" Liz pointed towards a shorter guy with shaggy black hair and a sour disposition. "Or him?" She pointed towards a tall, skinny redhead with a cocky grin. Her gaze and finger shifted to a dark-skinned, well-built guy with short black hair. "Ooh, or him?"

Tsubaki giggled and replied, "I'm afraid I'd have to decline all three of them."

Liz threw her hands up and said, "Alright, now you're just fucking with me. You seriously wouldn't go for any of them?"

"Afraid not," she said with a grin before finishing her second beer. It had taken her some time to get through her first but this one had disappeared rather rapidly.

"You are not getting off that easily." The blonde crushed her empty cup, a smirk forming under narrowed eyes. "There has got to be one guy in here you find attractive and when I find him I am forcing you two to dance."

She smirked right back at her and said, "Okay, we've established what happens if I lose. What if you lose? What happens then?"

A chill went through the air as the two competitors stared down, wondering what the price of failure would be. At last Liz spoke. "If I can't find one hottie you'd go for, I'll dance with the lamest guy we can find in here."

"That is not nice as all!" Tsubaki tried to restrain herself from laughing, a task that proved somewhat impossible in her current state.

"This ain't about nice anymore," Liz said, "this is war. Now what the hell are you into?"

"Oh, I'm not telling you now," she replied as Liz began to frantically scan the hall for man candy. Her search came to an abrupt stop, her eyes catching sight of two guys. "What about them?" Liz asked, nodding dead ahead at them.

Tsubaki appraised the duo. One was blond and muscular in a tight white shirt while the other was a lanky brunette in a blazer. Both were attractive enough, the former in a rugged way while the latter had more of the boy next door look to him, but neither were of particular interest to her. Not enough to lose the contest, at least.

"I don't think so," she said.

"That's too bad," Liz replied, turning back to her friend, "because it looks like they're interested in us."

She couldn't stop her eyes from taking a quick glance. The duo did indeed seem to be heading in their direction. The blond one noticed her look, giving a quick smile. She looked back to Liz, who was keeping her face pointed away from their would-be suitors.

"I know I'm being the worst friend ever here," Liz began in a pleading voice, "but can I get some back-up on this?"

An eyebrow rose on her face as she asked, "What do you mean by back-up?"

"You know, just talk to one of them. Or let him talk to you, whatever." Liz clasped her hands together, trying to keep the action out of sight as she added, "Please? I swear this won't count towards the bet."

She frowned but nodded in approval of her friend's plan. Liz turned back around, adopting a look of poised indifference just as the duo reached them. The muscular blond wore a massive grin as he said, "I don't suppose you two lovely ladies would be interested in some company?"

Tsubaki returned a polite smile and said, "Of course not." She waited for the blond to introduce himself and his meek friend. Liz continued to play it cool as she gave their names in reply.

As Liz struck up a conversation with the brunette, Tsubaki feigned interest in what the blond had to say. He seemed nice enough but romance was about the last thing she had in mind. Her eyes drifted over the dance hall, the once-intimidating asylum so very comfortable now. She tapped her heel to the background rhythm, eager to get back out on the dance floor.

She was just about to ask him to join her when the blond said, "So your friend seems to be hitting it off with my friend. What say we give them a little privacy?"

"That's so funny," she replied. "I was just about to ask if you wanted to dance."

He smirked as he moved in closer to her. "I actually had something else in mind."

She felt her face grow hot as she said, "Oh. Listen I'm really not up for anything like that." She cast a sidelong glance at Liz, who still seemed preoccupied with the brunette. Her own admirer moved up closer until they were only inches away. Tsubaki stumbled back only for his hands to catch her by the waist.

"Don't be like that," he said. She gasped as she felt his hand drift down to grope her ass. "Just lighten up and have a little fun." She wasn't sure if she should slap him or break out the shuriken.

There was a loud clap as flesh collided with flesh, as knuckles met blondie's jaw. Tsubaki watched as he seemed to crumple to the floor in slow motion. Her gaze shifted from his hunched body to the one who had delivered the punch.

"Whoops," Liz said, imitating surprise. "My fist slipped."

The brawny blond pushed himself upright, a trail of scarlet leaking from the side of his mouth. "Wha da 'ell!" he tried to say as the brunette came around to help him up.

Liz crossed her arms and scowled at him. "The lady's not interested, pal. Besides, you should probably go and ice that jaw. And you," she pointed at the brunette with the same intensity, prompting him to flinch. She extended her thumb and pinky, curling up her three interior fingers to signify a phone and asked, "Call me?"

Blondie narrowed his eyes but didn't resist as his friend lead him away. The brunette turned back once more, eyes wide and his mouth hanging open, before dragging his buddy out.

Liz couldn't help but knit her eyebrows as she watched the two walk away. Tsubaki approached her friend, frowning as she said, "Thanks. I'm sorry about-"

"Please, it's not your fault all the cute ones are friends with assholes," she replied, shaking her head. "I'm the one who should be apologizing. I forgot how much of a crapshoot the club scene is."

Tsubaki placed a hand on her friend's shoulder and smiled. "It's alright. All things considered I'm still having a really good time."

She grinned back at her and said, "In that case, I suggest we hit the dance floor one more time before somebody tries to kick us out of here for sucker punching a dude." Tsubaki nodded in agreement.

 

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"You sure you don't want to crash at our place?" Liz asked. "You've seen the mansion, it's not like we don’t have space."

Tsubaki shook her head and looked up to her friend. "I really appreciate the offer but I'll be okay. What about you? You sure you'll be okay getting back like that?"

Liz gave a single mocking laugh. "I may have lost the bet, but I still got a ride out of it and I ain't giving it up." She smacked the scrawny guy currently giving her a piggyback ride lightly on the head. "You hear that, son? You've got one more stop to make before you're done."

Tsubaki looked down to Liz’s stallion apologetically and said, "You know you really don't have to carry her all the way back."

"Honestly," Hiro said as he balanced Liz on his back, "this is not the worst thing that's happened to me tonight. Also, when you see Black Star, ask him if he's seen my tooth." The perpetual fuck-up gave a smile with one tooth missing.

"Think you two will be able to work it out?" Liz asked.

Her eyes turned down as she said, "I don't know how it'll go, but I know I don't want to end it the way I did." She looked back up with a smile and eyes full of confidence. "Thanks again for your help, Liz. I really needed this."

"You kidding me? This was a blast," she said, resting her head on Hiro's skull. "Anytime you need to come blow off some steam, hit me up." She pointed into the road and cried, "Minion away!" Hiro sped off to Gallows Mansion with incredible haste, leaving Tsubaki alone in front of her apartment.

As she walked through the front door, the first thing she noticed was how dark it was inside. Outside the street lights and the smiling moon provided illumination even in the dead of night, but inside it was pitch black. She flipped the lights on and wandered in, wondering if anyone had beaten her home.

With the exception of her footsteps, silence seemed to reign inside. She opened their bedroom door to find it as empty as the other rooms. Black Star's sheets were still ruffled on the floor next to his mat. She couldn't help but smile at how he was always careful enough to avoid her mat and yet still incapable of making his bed.

She had hoped he'd be here. She didn't know why, she was absolutely unprepared to face him but somehow just knowing he was back would have been enough.

The sound of footsteps behind her made her turn around. There was no-one there, at least no-one she could see. Of course, given her roommates, sight was no guarantee that she was really alone. Maybe Kim had brought Angela home early or Black Star was trying to sneak up on her again.

She was still staring down the hallway when she heard it, a rapid rustling coming from their bedroom. Her reaction was slow and she was still turning as arms wrapped around her from behind. She struggled against the hold, unable to identify her assailant. Fear crept into her mind, but not for her own safety. As shadow tendrils wrapped around her attacker's legs and threw him into the far wall, she only hoped she wasn't hurting someone she cared about.

Her attacker was hidden by shadow as she turned. Her tendrils reared up at her sides, ready to defend their mistress. "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

She never heard the second intruder sneak up behind her, but she felt another pair of arms grab her. This one brought a rag up against her nose. It was soaked in something that made her head swim and her knees go weak. They had the drop on her and they had numbers on their side. She knew she'd need to fall back to fight back.

Both assailants recoiled as Tsubaki exploded into smoke across the bedroom and hallway. They coughed and tried to wave the smoke out of their sight as the living smokescreen rolled for the exit.

She knew she only needed to run at this point, to get to safety or find support, but she could feel herself losing consciousness even in her incorporeal weapon form. She tried to maintain focus but felt her human form make contact with the floor only a few feet away from the exit.

Her vision blurred as she crawled for the door, her actions sluggish beyond belief by now. Everything seemed to spin around her, the sound of footsteps growing deeper as they got closer. The last thing she heard before she passed out was a voice, far deeper than she knew was possible, saying, "We've got her."


	8. Subjugation

"I mean I can barely tell what's happening behind me, I'm busy trying to knock these two other guys out," Black Star said, his arms spread out wide. "And then he just comes out of nowhere, like he freaking teleported or something. I see him and the first thing that comes to my mind is, 'Oh shit, what trick is he using this time?' I'm not taking any chances, I throw a fist like a bullet train at him."

Sharp teeth formed a massive grin on Soul's face as he said, "You didn't."

Black Star sank back into the chair, shaking his head. "Poor guy didn't know what hit him. Literally, I talked with him afterwards and he hadn't even noticed a fight was going on. Dude had his earbuds all the way up."

Maka broke out into raucous, unrestrained laughter. Her cackling eventually subsided and her tone became almost somber as she said, "Oh, poor Hiro."

"Dude had it coming as far as I'm concerned." Soul stretched his arms up and yawned before adding, "You don't drag that annoying holy sword around campus for a week without building up some bad karma."

Black Star grabbed the nearly-empty bottle off the coffee table and downed the last of its contents. "Hey, I'm nobody's errand boy! If karma's got a beef with him, then she better get in line behind the Great Black Star. Ha ha ha!"

Maka giggled, her face growing red. "You're probably gonna end up expelled tomorrow, you know that?"

"Well," Soul began, looking around the room at his companions, "there's a good chance at this point that we all will be."

Color left Maka's face. "Oh god, why did you have to say that?" Her eyes grew heavy and downcast. "Oh god, why the hell did I do this?"

"Relax, I was just joking," he said. "Besides you've barely had any. You're not even buzzed."

She grasped her temples and cried, "This isn't a joke! We could all get in serious trouble. Oh fuck, why did I let you two idiots talk me into this?"

The sleepy ball of purple fur in Maka's lap began to stir as she panicked. It groggily bounded off of Maka and traipsed over to Soul. "Too late for shouting," the cat said. "My head doesn't like it."

Soul yawned once more. "On that we agree." He plucked Blair off the ground and cradled her in his arms. "I'm turning in so try to keep the volume down on your freak-out." He turned to his blue-haired friend and added, "You're welcome to crash, man, just don't give her any more anxiety than she already has."

"Consider it done. The Great Black Star is like an ocean of tranquility!" Soul was too exhausted to dispute this claim. He simply nodded and strode towards his bedroom. Maka continued to hyperventilate as the Great Black Star stared down into the empty bottle. "Who cares about being expelled anyway?" he asked, his voice quiet and serious.

Maka stopped panicking and looked up at him. In all the years she had known Black Star, he had always been a wellspring of self-confidence. To see him now, though, he looked so very fragile.

"You remember when we walked in on you last week?" she asked. "I was about ready to knock your head off for a while there."

He gave a weak chuckle and a half smirk. "That'll never stop being funny."

She couldn't help but scowl for a brief moment. "I didn't stop because I was afraid of you, jerk. I stopped because of Tsubaki." He tilted his head to the side as she continued, "I was ready to believe any terrible thing about you but she wouldn't hear it. She defended you with so much conviction it was downright intimidating."

"What are you getting at?" he asked.

"She trusted you," she said, her eyes clear pools of emerald, "even when she had no reason to. I don't know what happened between you two since then, but I don't believe trust that strong could be broken so quickly."

He hung his head, placing the empty bottle onto the floor. "Things change."

Maka carefully considered her words for a moment before she finally said, "Did you know I used to have a crush on you?"

Black Star very nearly fell out of chair. "Where the hell did that come from?!"

It was her turn to chuckle. "Well, I was young and foolish and your name was easy to remember. Plus I hadn't figured out how much of a dick you are."

"I get it," the war god said as he furrowed his brow. "Are we just taking a trip down memory lane now?"

"You're right," she said, still laughing a little. "Things change. In our case for the better. But I don't want to see what you two had change. More than once I've seen Tsubaki actively freak out because she was afraid you'd leave her. I know she cares about you. And based on your little outburst, it's pretty obvious you care about her."

The blue-haired boy turned a bright shade of red. "Alright, alright, enough with that! Jeez, like you're one to talk."

Maka was stock still, her mouth hanging open.

"Calm down," he said, waving his hand. "You really think it wasn't obvious? I swear you two act like an old married couple sometimes."

She remained silent, staring straight through Black Star. He began to worry until he saw her eyes dart to the side. That was when he first heard it, the faintest hint of shallow breathing. It was sharp and unnatural, each breath dripping with fear.

His eyes followed the sound all the way to Soul's bedroom door, the same place hers were locked. Neither spoke a word as they rushed, silent as humanly possible, for the door.

Black Star charged through the door first, a blur of white cutting through the dark. He heard Soul scream and saw a flash of movement at the foot of the bed. With a leap he delivered a flying roundhouse kick that drove a skulking figure to dive right out of harm's way.

He smirked. Maka was already there waiting to cut off the target's escape. She drove a fist into the side of the intruder's face. The impact sent him crashing into the wall and, shortly thereafter, the floor.

"What the hell are you doing?!" Soul shouted. He hit the light to find his meister crouched over a man clad in black, Black Star standing behind her. "Wait, who is that?"

"Ain't that the question?" Black Star said.

Maka lifted the mystery man up by the collar and pulled off his balaclava to reveal a scarred face and sunken eyes. "Talk. Now."

The intruder shook his head, his jaw already swelling up. "Too late. Too late..." he mumbled.

"Wrong answer," she said as she pulled back her fist for a second hit. It was with some surprise that she felt Black Star hold her by the wrist, stopping her attack.

"Chill," he said, paying no heed to her narrowed eyes. "He's not getting back up after that one. Might as well leave something for the interrogators to talk to."

She frowned but uncurled her fist. Soul rose out of bed to get a better look at the situation, followed closely behind by Blair. All the while the man in black continued to shake his head.

"I'm not afraid anymore," he said, his eyes hollow. "Even if I failed, we have her.”

A chill went down Black Star's spine. He leaned in and asked, "What did you say?"

A haunting smile crossed the intruder's face. "Haven't you heard? We found her. Now we can bring her back."

"Talk sense, you freak!" Black Star shouted, grabbing him by the side of the head. The intruder just continued to grin like a maniac.

"Calm down!" Maka cried, trying to hold him back.

Black Star dropped him with a snarl. Without a word he made a dash for the open window and leapt out into the night, ignore his friends' cries. He wasn't exactly sure why, but he needed to find Tsubaki now.

"Can someone explain what just happened?" Soul asked.

 

\\\\\

 

Tsubaki stared up as the world seemed to fade in and out around her. Light fluctuated rapidly, blinding white dimming to total darkness and back, over and over and over again.

She couldn't determine where she was. She was vaguely aware that she was being carried. She tried to speak but found her voice gone.

Then it all came back to her in a flood of memories: her return, the attackers, passing out. Immediately her thoughts turned to escape. She thrashed about only to find herself tightly restrained. She tried to remain calm, focusing as best she could on shifting form into a smoke bomb.

She reached down into herself, unleashed the weapon form in her soul, felt the rush of freedom as she escaped her bonds as incorporeal vapor... and then found herself right back where she'd started, being carried in bondage. She tried to activate her powers again, went through the same experience only to end up at the same terminus point again and again.

Fear like icy cold fingers wrapped around her as she found herself trapped not simply physically but within her own mind. She couldn't break out and she didn't even know who had taken her, much less where she was going.

She renewed her struggle against her physical restraints, not sure if it would even matter at this point. Could all of this be in her head? Another dream? And if it was, would she wake up in her bed or still kidnapped?

"...sn't really look like her, does she?" The voice was muffled but she could still make out what it was saying. Her eyes searched through the shifting haze for its source.

"...numbskull! Do you even understand..." another voice, distinct but equally garbled, joined in. "...just the vessel. Doesn't matter what she looks like."

The first voice came back into focus again. "...would rather be a cute girl than some ugly old..."

It was no good. She couldn't focus on either of them long enough to understand what they were planning. All she could really tell was that they were talking about her and that she didn't want to find out firsthand.

"...ing her over here!" A new voice came into her range of hearing. She felt herself being carried closer to the source.

For the first time since she gained addled consciousness a figure came into view. The speaker leaned in close so that even in with her vision scrambled she could make out a thin, masculine face with aquiline features.

"Perfect. Absolutely perfect." She recoiled as best she could as she felt his hand run down her face. One of the other kidnappers said something she couldn't quite hear. The man in front of her shouted back, "No! We won't wait any longer. Get everything ready." She could feel consciousness slipping away as he looked down at her. His face full of awe and devotion as he spoke.

"Soon, my Queen. You won't have to wait much longer."

 

\\\\\

 

The small bedroom would have looked practically untouched were it not for the fracture in the cream-colored wall right beneath the window. The long horizontal crack had debris scattered beneath. Something had been thrown against it with great force. Combined with the earlier reports of noise and individuals leaving the scene, it seemed indicative of a struggle. He realized grimly that they were on the right track but, once again, far too late.

"You really think it was them?" his partner asked, pulling back his hood to run a hand through spiked blond hair. His skepticism was a front. It was clear from the look on his face that he wanted them to be wrong.

Akane adjusted his glasses and said, "It fits the pattern. They're running scared. But I never would have expected them to try something like this."

A scowl formed on Clay's face. "We can't let them get away with this!" His partner had always been the emotional one, the first of them to lose his cool.

"If you've got a trail we can follow I'm all ears," Akane replied. "For now our best option is to report what we've got and hope they can put together a lead." He didn't like the situation any more than Clay but he hoped that keeping his composure would help out their victim more than lashing out like some child.

The sound of crashing footsteps took both of them by surprise. Akane turned to find a little over five-and-a-half feet of blue-haired rage standing in the doorway.

Black Star's eyes showed confusion without abandoning his anger. "What the hell are you two doing here?"

"Well, it's not for a family reunion," Akane replied. Clay made an uncomfortable grimace at his partner's flippant response.

Black Star didn't seem particularly amused, drawing closer to his distant relative with harsh footsteps. "Can it with that crap. You know there's only room for one Star around here. Now talk."

"We're not sure," Clay said, prompting Black Star to turn, "But we think your partner has been captured."

Black Star shot a look that made Clay's hair stand on end. "Who was it? Who took Tsubaki?"

"Arachnophobia," Akane said calmly. "She's been taken by agents of Arachnophobia."

"That's impossible!" Black Star cried. "We just finished off the last of those morons this afternoon!"

The bespectacled meister crossed his arms and said, "There's no central power structure to Arachnophobia anymore. Whatever remains is scattered and disjointed. We thought today's attack might scatter some spies still in the city but..." He paused, a frown coming to his face. "There were more of them than we had anticipated. We underestimated them."

"So now Tsubaki's paying the price for your mistake?!" Black Star yanked down on Akane's collar so that they were at eye level and asked, "Where did they take her?"

The faintest hint of impatience slipped through Akane's stoic facade. "We don't know. You really think we'd still be investigating here if we had a decent lead? You're not the only one frustrated here and your posturing isn't helping anyone, especially Tsubaki. Now get a fucking grip on yourself."

A pair of glasses and sheer force of will were the only things preventing two sets of stars from appearing over their pupils. Clay looked on awkwardly, worried he might have to transform at any moment. He sighed as Black Star begrudgingly released Akane and made his way towards the door.

"Dammit!" A crash echoed through the room as Black Star demolished half a wall with one punch. He was shaking as he said, "This is my fault. They were after me and they got her."

"I'm not sure if this was retaliation," Clay said a moment later, not interested in interrupting the furious meister. "I'm betting they were after her because of her lineage."

Black Star turned, a look of utter confusion on his face. "What?"

"You didn't know?" he asked. "The Nakatsukasa weapon line was originally created by Arachne. If I had to guess I'd say they're looking to use her power to bolster their ranks somehow."

"She'd never work for them..." Black Star snarled. As confident as he was in that conviction, he couldn't help but recall what had happened to Kim and Jackie when they were ensnared by Arachnophobia. He couldn't stop himself from remembering the botched experiment they had come across earlier today. He couldn't ignore the sudden pit that formed in his stomach as he imagined his darling Tsubaki captured by the same group of psychopaths.

"I certainly hope you're right," Akane said.

Clay shook his head and said, "Okay, so what now? We go back to headquarters and try to figure out where they're all headed?"

"Wait a minute!" Black Star said, eyes wide. "Maka just decked some creepy guy sneaking around Soul's room. You think he's one of them?"

"Another weapon connected to Arachne? Could be a pattern forming." Akane shrugged his shoulders and said, "Better than nothing I suppose."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go get him!" Black Star dashed out of the room so fast he didn't even notice as Kim rounded the corner. The two collided head on, each falling backwards onto the ground.

The pink-haired girl rubbed her forehead and said, "Ow that hurt! I'm suing you into third-world poverty!"

"Kim?" Black Star asked, holding his head as he rose to his feet. "Why are you here?"

The young witch picked herself up off the ground. "Tsubaki asked me to look after Angela but I think she snuck back over here."

Black Star face grew pale. "Angela was over here?"

"Calm down, I'm sure we can find her. She's not that good at hide and seek," Kim said, smiling awkwardly. She looked over to see Akane and Clay standing in the broken doorway and asked, "What the witch are you guys doing here?"

Black Star turned back to Akane, his eyes narrowed, and said, "I'm going back to Maka's place. You'd better hurry because I'm not sure how long I can wait before smashing that bastard's face in."

He pushed his way past Kim brusquely, the pit in his stomach becoming a black hole.

 

\\\\\

 

The first thing Tsubaki realized as she awoke was that she was floating. The second thing was the thin layer of pressure pushing in all around her.

Her eyelids flew open as she exhaled forcefully. As she had feared, she was currently suspended in some clear liquid. Aching muscles put up resistance as she desperately tried to breach the water, but it was a sharp tug on her shoulders that halted her upward ascent.

Looking down filled her with both relief and dread. A mask placed over her mouth and nose seemed to be pumping in oxygen through a tube, assuring that she wouldn't drown. It wasn't the only thing connected to her, though. Her arms and shoulders were full of intravenous tubes that seemed to be pumping different colors into her body. She desperately tried to pull one of the needles out, but her grip was weak and her arms tired.

"You are probably a little confused. Scared, even," a muffled voice said. She looked up and found that she was floating in the center of a large facility. Around her, men in black robes and lab coats, all wearing the same stylized mask with four eyes, examined computer terminals and large machinery. As her eyes swept over the facility she realized that she was being contained in a large glass tube terrifyingly similar to the one she had seen at Arachnophobia's compound.

"But I want you to know you shouldn't be afraid," the voice spoke again. She turned down to find the man with aquiline features standing below her tube, staring up at her reverently. "You see, you have been chosen for something magnificent."

She tried to shout at him, but even she could barely hear her own words through the liquid. If he noticed her protests, it didn't show on his face.

"You were meant for great things, Tsubaki. The blood running through your veins is full of ancient magic once wielded by Arachne herself." He gave a toothy smile and said, "Your body is the perfect vessel to house our Queen."

Tsubaki felt sick to her stomach. She wouldn't listen to another second of this madness. Gathering up what strength was left, she renewed her effort to remove the tubes. Her weapon form still wasn't reacting, but she'd worry about that later.

The man on the ground tilted his head and said, "You would try to deny your destiny? Change is the natural order. Yesterday I wasn't even in charge of Arachnophobia's science division. We must accept greatness when it is thrust upon us child."

She very nearly had the first tube removed from her shoulder when she noticed them. There were more tubes hooked in along her back and legs. Her breathing became heavy as she pulled against them, ignoring the pain that struggling brought.

"Don't you realize how wonderful it will be?" His voice was joyous. "You'll be our Queen. So much more than some pawn, some pathetic servant to Death: you'll be a Goddess. And we shall ensure that the whole world will bow down in worship of you!"

The world around her was growing dimmer, her consciousness beginning to fade. She threw her fists against the glass in front of her. Even as strength left her body, she continued to pound against the tube in defiance.

"I must warn you," he said, remorse creeping into his voice, "that I'm told the process is quite painful. But you must endure these birth pangs! You are but a weapon now but through this fire we shall forge you into so much more."

She threw her hand against the prison one last time. For just a moment she was sure a small crack had formed in the tube. She tried to smile at her brief victory but all she wanted to do was cry. This couldn't be how it ended, as some desperate fanatics' lab experiment. She wouldn't let it end this way.

As darkness seemed to envelope her, she thought of her family and friends. She needed to see them one more time. Especially him. She wouldn't let their last moment together be a bitter, heartless goodbye. If she could just hold onto herself until he made it.

"You know what they say," a familiar voice said. Tsubaki opened her eyes and there was Black Star, a cocky grin crossing his face. "Be careful what you wish for."

 

\\\\\

 

Black Star fumed as he sat cross-legged on the rocky ground, his arms crossed. "This is pointless," he said, "You should just let me go back to punching that dude."

"They are not gonna let you back in man," Soul said, his hand pressed to his meister's back.

Maka furrowed her brow, keeping her eyes closed, as she said, "Can you two keep it down? I'm trying to scan the Western Hemisphere for our friend."

"Oh yeah!" he shouted in reply, his voice thick with sarcasm, "We'll just let Maka the human-freaking-radar find them! That's sure to work!"

Soul sighed and said, "Evidently we can't."

"You realize there are over eight trillion people on the planet, right?" Black Star asked, absolutely certain that he had made an accurate statement. "How the hell are you gonna target her soul?"

Maka's eyes and mouth both opened in unison. "I've got something!"

"You do?" Soul asked as Black Star rose to his feet.

She nodded in reply and said, "It's really faint, but I'm sure I can detect a witch's soul not too far away. It's got to be Angela!"

There was a gust of wind as Black Star rushed over to Maka and pulled her into a bear hug. "You did it!" he said, holding back the urge to cry. "I never doubted you for a second! The Great Black Star is in your debt!"

"I am going to knee you square in the balls if you don't let me go right now," she replied, trying to struggle out of her friend's grip.

Soul smirked as the war god released his meister. "Okay, so we know where they are. We go tell Central Intelligence what we've got and then we fly off to save Tsubaki and Angela." He turned only to find friends in his way.

Kid stood there in his Spartoi uniform, flanked by Liz and Patty on either side. The reaper looked resolute. Patty imitated his stern look while Liz simply looked away.

"As you know," Kid began, "a representative of the DWMA such as myself cannot allow agents to go off half-cocked on some unapproved mission."

Maka's face bore a look of disbelief as Soul frowned at his fellow Spartoi member. Black Star looked absolutely livid. He bared his teeth and said, "What the hell do you think you're doing Kid?"

The reaper was about to reply when Liz preempted him with a slap to the side of the head. "Dammit Kid, this is serious!" she said. "We don't have time for you to be all dramatic and say crap like, 'I'm not acting as an agent of Death today!' Now just tell them the plan so we can go save Tsubaki already!"

"Why would you hit me on the side of the head?" Kid cried as he broke down into a neurotic mess. "You know I hate unsymmetrical violence! Damn it, now I'm completely unfocused!" Liz rolled her eyes as Patty began to pat her meister on the other side of his head in compensation.

"Wait, so you're not here to stop us?" Black Star asked.

"Hell no. You really think I'm gonna sit around waiting while my friend is in danger?" Liz's gaze became downcast as she said, "Besides, this is all my fault. I was the one who left her alone." She looked back up at Black Star, tears forming in her eyes. "Please, allow me to come with you to bring her back!"

"Liz..." Black Star said, moved by her impassioned request.

"Oh, so you get to be dramatic?" Kid asked, still hunched over.

Maka frowned. "Shouldn't we still tell someone where we're going?"

"Gotcha covered!" a voice shouted from above. Maka and her partners looked up to see Kim flying down on Jackie's weapon form. In one swift move she landed on the ground and dismounted from the lantern. "Just give us the coordinates. While you go off to find Tsubaki, we'll take them back to headquarters."

Jackie shifted from her lantern form back to a human. "I'm sure they'll be very upset to learn that you left without anyone knowing," she said, stifling a giggle. "In the meantime, we'll help organize the cavalry to come help."

Soul smirked and said, "Tell them to make it a clean-up crew. By the time they arrive, they'll be nothing left but souls to collect."

Patty pumped a fist into the air. "Hell yeah! We're not gonna let those jerks take away our Tsu!" A sinister grin crossed her face as she said, "Let's go kill them all!"

For the first time since leaving Tsubaki that afternoon, Black Star felt a glimmer of hope. 'Just hold on, Tsubaki. You too, Angela. We're on our way.'

 

\\\\\

 

Tsubaki could hardly believe her eyes. Black Star was standing right in front of her, as clear as day. She felt her eyes crinkle as tears started to roll down her face.

"I knew it," she said, smiling. "I knew you'd make it here in time." She wanted to run to him, to embrace him and tell him how much he meant to her.

Except she couldn't move any closer.

She looked down to find she was no longer floating. Instead she was barely standing in a black abyss. Her bare legs were pushed open by a spreader bar. This alone would have made just walking a challenge but it wasn't the only obstacle. She looked up and found her arms were pulled up over her head and bound together by a length of rope pulled over a hook.

"Oh no," she said as color rushed out of her face.

Black Star smiled. "Oh yes."

Ropes dug into her wrists as she struggled against the restraints. "No, no, no," she stammered as she shifted her legs, trying to pull them out of the cuffs that bound her to the spreader bar. "Not here, not now!"

He strode around her, his narrowed eyes full of perverse amusement. She could feel his gaze sweeping over her body, savoring every awkward jiggle of her flesh as she tried to escape. She ignored it. She didn't have the luxury of being embarrassed now.

A yelp of pain escaped her lips as he tugged at the base of her ponytail, pulling her head back. Apparently, he didn't appreciate being ignored.

"You know," he said, holding her head in place, "You're being rather rude. I go to all this trouble just for you yet here you are trying to escape." His free hand brushed across the side of her face. "You know how much that hurts my feelings?"

"I don't have time for this!" She tried to turn away but his hands roughly pulled her head back into place.

There was a barely restrained fury in his eyes as he said, "I decide what you have time for." She could feel his body pressing up against her from behind as his hand started roving down her bare stomach. She renewed her struggle, hoping to throw him off in the process.

"Damn it let go of me! I'm not your toy!" She let out a shriek as Black Star's hand began massaging her clitoris. A wave of heat ran through her entire body from between her legs. Her heart was racing and her mind was beginning to go blank no matter how hard she tried to remember that this was all a dream.

"Oh Tsubaki," he said as he pushed his fingers between her lower lips, his thumb continuing to stroke her clit. She gasped before he continued, "You are a transformer with twelve different forms. Of course you're a toy."

She winced, resisting the urge to lose herself in his touch. Why was she trying to get away so badly? Something was wrong, but she couldn't quite remember what.

"Still, perhaps I'm not the one you want to play with you." His face moved back out of her field of vision, though she could still feel his hands on her body. The heat from his body still mingled with hers.

"Maybe you'd like this better?" It wasn't his voice asking the question. A face appeared on her other side, but it didn't belong to him. This face was a little older and far more feminine.

Tsubaki gasped again, recognizing the blue eyes staring at her. "Liz?!" The elder Thompson was now standing behind her, kneading her most sensitive spot.

Liz tilted her head and said, "You seem surprised. Is this not better?" She circled around to face Tsubaki, her hands continuing to trace along her captive's form.

"You're..." Tsubaki said, "What are you?"

Liz smiled as she came in close and said, "I'm whatever you want me to be, sweetie." Her hand wrapped around the back of Tsubaki's head and she pulled her in for a deep kiss. Tsubaki's eyes widened at first but as the kiss lingered it began to feel so right. She closed her eyes, leaning into her friend.

Memories flashed through her mind, threatening to drag her out of her fantasy. She thought of being trapped in some facility. Somewhere a voice said, "Increase the dosage and cut the power back by 25%!"

This was all wrong, this wasn't real. She had to escape, get back to reality before everything was lost. She opened her eyes and pulled away from the kiss. "What are you?!"

The blond girl chuckled and said, "Okay, okay, not your thing. And here I thought we were finally starting to get along."

"You're not her," Tsubaki said with narrowed eyes, "and you're not him. You're not my friends so who the hell are you?"

She pursed her lips and began to stroll around behind Tsubaki. "What I find most amusing about your request..." she began, her voice changing as she spoke. It was softer and throaty with an authoritative quality to it. She emerged before Tsubaki with black hair and an impossibly low-cut black dress. "...is that you think I'm anyone at all."

Tsubaki's mouth hung open. "That's impossible," she said, her voice faint. "How could you still be alive?"

Arachne rested her cheek in her palm, an inquisitive look on her face. "Am I really alive? I suppose I could be the remnants of Arachne, trying to possess your body," she said. Tsubaki shivered as the spider witch ran a cold finger down her chest. "On the other hand, maybe I'm just another one of your fantasies? Or maybe I'm your psyche trying to comprehend what this procedure is doing to you? Really it's impossible to tell at this point."

None of those options seemed good to Tsubaki, who started to pull hard on her ropes.

"Oh just knock it off already," her captor said, her voice bored. "You must realize by now that none of this is real. You're not getting out of here, even if you undo those ropes."

She continued to struggle, paying no heed to the witch's words. "Or maybe you just don't want me to try because it is possible?"

Arachne shrugged and turned her back to her captive. "You can do whatever you'd like. If you want to spend your last moments fighting in vain, I won't stop you. Although..." She swiveled back around, a seductive look on her face. "Wouldn't you rather enjoy the time you have left?"

Thin arms, draped in yards of black silk, wrapped around Tsubaki. The restrained girl couldn't help but flinch as Arachne rested her head softly on her shoulder. There was a warmth to the witch's body, a comfort that made her cease trying to escape for a moment.

"You can't do anything to stop what's happening, I'm afraid. You're just not strong enough." The witch sounded almost sympathetic to her plight. "But if you'll let me, I can at least make your last experience a happy one."

She looked from Arachne to the rope and back down. On some level, she knew her captor was right. Even now she could feel her mind splintering, her memories fading into nothingness. She could barely hold on to who she was now. Somewhere outside of her perception various chemical agents were being pumped into her body, with the intent of turning her into something monstrous. What else could she do?

Slowly, she began to nod.

Arachne smiled. "In that case," she said, "I'll go with your favorite." The spider witch dissipated into shadow that rapidly changed into-

She froze. He was standing right before her, blue hair and cocky grin so familiar. But his name, along with everything about him, seemed to be right on the periphery of her memory. He was so precious to her yet she could barely even remember him now. She felt like she might break down into sobbing. Why couldn't she remember his name?

"Now, now, no more of that," he said, running a hand down her cheek. His touch filled her with strength, even though she knew it was a lie. "Let's continue, shall we?" Tsubaki nodded once more, allowing him to pull her in for another kiss. His mouth moved down her neck and then her chest, peppering them with kisses.

Her breathing was heavy as she cooed, "Please, don't make me wait any longer."

He pulled away for a moment. He was already naked, his member standing at attention. "Please what?"

She smiled. "Please Master."

She moaned as he entered her for the first time, pushing her hips up against his as best she could in her restraints. She felt as though her senses were on fire. Her whole body convulsed.

Taking the lead, he grabbed her ass with both hands and rocked her back and forth against his cock. Her upper body bounced up and down, straining the ropes holding her in place. Her heart was pounding as she felt him thrust in and out of her. She was so very close now.

"You see?" he asked, a wicked smile on his face. "Isn't this what you want? You crave submission. Just give in and I'll free you from your wretched independence!"

She felt the rope go slack before she heard the snap. He didn't even have a chance to look up before she pushed him to the ground, her hands wrapping tight around his neck.

"I don't want anything from you!" she snarled, her eyes full of vengeance and blind fury. Beneath her the boy with blue hair gasped for air and feebly pushed against her. She didn't budge an inch as she tightened her grip. She watched his face change from pink to a bright red. Then she watched his face change into that of a woman with black hair and pale features. She didn't stop, continuing to choke her until her face was deep blue and lifeless.

She rose up off the lifeless woman, her restraints melting into shadow as she did. She looked down at her defeated captor. The woman in the black dress looked so weak now, so frail and powerless.

Somewhere far beyond her range of hearing someone shouted, "It's too late!"

Tsubaki smiled, an absolutely rapturous feeling spreading over her. This was how it should be. "Long live the Queen."


	9. Hegemony

The Arachnophobia grunt flipped up his mask and popped a cigarette into his mouth. He promised himself he'd quit smoking but this seemed like a special occasion. Even if he was stuck on-duty while the big return was going down. He flipped open his lighter, ready for his brief celebration.

"So does this mean Arachne's gonna be a teenager now?"

He flipped his lighter closed and regarded his partner. "What are you on about now?" he asked.

His partner pulled up his own mask, revealing a pudgy face, and said, "That girl they brought in, the one who they're gonna make the new Arachne, she couldn't have been twenty yet."

"Yeah, so what?" He rolled the cigarette around in his mouth. The wait was killing him but he'd be damned if he let this jackass ruin his first smoke in a year.

"Well," his partner continued, "Doesn't that mean Arachne will be a teenager now? Like when her sister came by looking like a little girl?"

He pondered the question for a moment before saying, "I guess she might." He flipped his lighter open again and ignited it, drawing the flame ever closer to his cigarette.

"Wouldn't be so bad to have a cute teenage girl for a boss."

"What?!" His hands fumbled the lighter, nearly dropping it to the ground.

His partner shrugged and said, "I'm just saying it could be cool. Kind of exciting if Arachne comes back as this cute girl looking to take down the Reaper."

"You are a weird fucking guy, you know that?" he asked. He ignited his lighter once more and shook his head. "Just shut up and do your job."

"What the hell was that?!" His daydreaming partner shoved him in an attempt to get his attention. All he managed to do was make him drop his lighter into a puddle.

He gritted his teeth and turned to his partner. "You fucking numb-skull! The hell was that for?"

"Th-there was something in the corner, I tell you!" he said, looking like a baby about to break down crying. "Didn't you see it?"

"I didn't see anything you-" A thwack sounded and suddenly everything between his legs was in screaming pain. The cigarette fell out of his mouth and he crumpled to the ground.

"What are..." his partner began but trailed off as he noticed a tiny disembodied hand holding a stick floating in the air. He barely had time to scream before it slammed into his crotch, sending him sputtering to the ground as well.

The tiny hand whacked both of them several more times until they stopped making noises. The air around the hand shimmered as a little girl with pink hair appeared.

"And An remains undefeated," she said. Not that she felt particularly victorious right now. It had taken way too long to get out of the car and past those goons. Not to mention she had no idea where these creeps had taken Tsubaki.

As she wandered out of the garage, she couldn't help but wish Mifune was there. He was always so cool and collected. Not at all like that little jerk Black Star. If Mifune was still around he'd definitely be able to save Tsubaki. She could picture him now, crashing into the compound like some action hero, his hair billowing back as he swept the damsel up in his arms.

If only she could find out where he'd gone.

Angela was snapped out of her musings by the sounds of screaming and battle. She hugged a beige wall and peaked around the corner, getting her trusty whacking stick ready in case she needed to deliver some vigilante justice again.

"Anything in here?" a super formal voice called out as one last feeble scream sounded.

"She's close! Really close!" another voice, loud but silvery, shouted.

"Well I don't see her so where is she?" a third voice, high and raucous, said. This one settled it. These were the guys she was looking for. She rounded the corner and cleared her throat to get their attention.

Black Star, Maka, and Kid all turned to see a very sour-looking little witch standing in the hall.

"Angela!" Black Star cried before running up to her. "I'm here to save you!"

Angela frowned with her hands on her hips. "I don't need saving!" she cried. "I snuck into the car with those jerks who nabbed Tsubaki, which they only did because you left her alone because you're a big stupid doo-doo head!"

"That," Maka began, "is surprisingly accurate." Black Star didn't respond, his face still frozen in the smile he'd run up with. He wondered if this was what Maka's pervy dad felt like all the time.

Maka's scythe inclined its blade down to Angela and said, "Do you know where they took her?"

An shook her head. "I didn't see them take her out of the car. But we've got to hurry. Some of those creeps were talking about turning her into the new Arachne."

Black Star shook his head, the thought of his partner in peril giving him focus. "Not on my watch! An, stay close to Maka!" he said before charging off down another hallway.

Maka frowned. "Black Star, I'm the human rad- Gah! I'm mean I'm the one with soul perception, you have to follow me!" She turned to the little witch and said, "Angela, stay close to Kid!" before rushing off after him.

"Stuck babysitting once again," Liz said as Kid shook his head and Patty laughed.

"You guys're so lucky I'm around," Angela said.

 

\\\\\

 

The facility had been thrown into absolute disarray. All around the room machines sputtered smoke and sparks. Several monitors stood darkened while others continued to display strings of numbers and rapidly-shifting graphs. A Tesla coil lay toppled over on the ground. The remaining coils stood lifeless around the ominous containment tube.

The containment tube itself had turned jet black, the interior completely obscured. Small cracks dotted the glass surface and the water inside had long since drained out and pooled around the base. Human souls bobbed helplessly in the air around the tube, the last remains of those foolish enough to get close. The rest of the staff, whether too craven or two clever, had long since fled.

He, however, would not be moved. It wasn't fear or foolishness that spurred him on but overwhelming faith. He had to keep trying to bring her back, to revive his beloved Queen and save Arachnophobia. His fingers clacked furiously against the keyboard as he searched for a way to salvage this experiment. As the readings continued to spike and her soul wavelength continued to expand, though, he could feel his window shrinking away.

His concentration was broken as something hard drove into the back of his head with sufficient force to knock him into his computer terminal. Before he could even recover he was pulled back by the scruff of his neck. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a blue-haired boy with absolutely furious green eyes.

"Playtime's over you cultist freak," he said.

"Yeah!" an even higher voice said. He looked to his other side to see a little girl brandishing a stick. She frowned as she said, "Now give us back S'Baki or else!"

"I assure you," he said, trying his damndest to keep composure, "I would love nothing more at this moment than to do that for you Black Star, little girl. But I'm afraid I can't."

Black Star gripped the forearm of the thin man with aquiline features and said, "Wrong answer." He barely needed to apply any pressure before he heard a crunch and felt the bone snap in two.

The cultist screamed and clutched his arm. "I've been trying to stop it you colossal moron!" he shouted, his voice strained.

"What are you talking about?" Maka appeared behind them with Kid in tow.

"We were trying to bond her soul with residue from Lady Arachne's. We hoped we could create a new vessel for-AAHH!" The cultist's upper body was forced down against the terminal as Black Star twisted back his broken arm.

"You want to talk way faster," Liz said, translating the boy's action. "Try smaller words."

"We created a resonance," he continued, his voice even more uncomfortable, "but the girl's soul hijacked it and has been growing out of control. She's not responding to anything we do!"

Kid surveyed the facility, his eyes lingering on the souls. "Tsubaki did this?"

The cultist tried to reorient himself to view his monitor as he said, "The process has created a significant change in the subject. There's no way of knowing if that is still her in there."

Black Star tightened his grip. "You'd better hope it's still her."

Maka stared at the large black cylinder and tried to focus her soul perception. Locating the soul inside wasn't all that hard for her but identifying that soul was another matter entirely. To her eyes it looked like the rather large wavelength was engulfed in a veritable maelstrom of madness. "We've got to get her out of there," she said.

Kid nodded and said, "I have the best chance of getting close and breaking the tube. I'll pull her out."

"Like hell you will," Black Star said. "She's my partner, I'll get her out of there."

The reaper crossed his arms. "You're unarmed and completely vulnerable. Don't be foolish."

"I'm never unarmed," the war god countered, lifting a fist up, "and I don't know the meaning of the word vulnerable."

"Hey morons," Liz said. "We don't have time for any macho posturing."

The ground shook as a loud, sharp crunch reverberated through the room. The teens looked to the containment tube to see fissures spreading out rapidly from a massive crack that had appeared.

The gaunt man trembled as he looked at the rapidly fluctuating readings on his monitor. "It's too late!"

The containment tube exploded in a cloud of smoke and shadow, throwing shards of glass throughout the room. Black Star dropped the cultist and dove to shelter Angela from a hail of debris. An involuntary hiss escaped his lips as shards dug into his flesh.

As the blast subsided he heard Angela's voice say, "Spiky, you okay?"

"Eh," he said, "still alive." He rose back to his feet and pulled a nasty looking piece of glass out of his shoulder with a grunt.

"Everybody alright?" he heard Soul call out. As the smoke began to dissipate he found Maka and Kid picking themselves off the ground.

Black Star's body stiffened. He couldn't yet see through the haze to the source of the explosion. "Tsubaki!" he called out, praying for some kind of response.

"Is she..." Liz wouldn't finish her sentence.

Maka shook her head. "I don't think so. I can still sense a soul."

As the smoke finally cleared, the Spartoi members froze. Maka felt her blood run cold. Kid clenched his jaw and bared his teeth. Black Star's pupils shrank to green pinpricks as his eyes widened.

What stood in the rubble certainly looked like Tsubaki, or rather like a living shadow sculpted in her likeness. Long black tresses hung down from her head. Obsidian skin was striped by bright white marks. A tangle of cords stretched from her back to the top of the tube, where dozens more swung unattached. Her face was like a mask, stoic and lifeless. Her eyes opened into solid pools of blinding white.

The cultist's face contorted into a mad smile. "I've failed you my lady. I was so close but I failed." Laughter verging on sobbing could be heard as he ran through the doors out of the room.

"That dick's getting away!" Patty cried.

"Let him," Kid said, not turning his attention away from the living shadow. "He won't get far. Besides, we've got bigger problems."

Muscles shifted under black skin as the feminine figure hunched forward. A long, thick tentacle of shadow shot out of her back. The appendage whipped around to encircle the cords still attached to her. She screeched, her voice primal and guttural, as she ripped them out of her back. In their place three more tendrils erupted from her back. She straightened back to her full height and looked to the ceiling, her tentacles thrashing through the air around her.

Black Star felt a tiny hand tug on his. "Black Star," Angela said, her lips pulled into a frown, "what's wrong with Tsubaki?"

His voice was quiet as he asked, "Maka. Kid. Tell me one of you can still sense her in there."

A truly miserable frown spread across Kid's face. "Black Star, I'm so sorry. I can't sense anything of Tsubaki."

For a moment the entire world around Black Star stopped. He was completely numb to everything. She was gone. Why didn't he feel anything? He wanted to rip the world apart with his bare hands and crawl inside its carcass and cry for eternity. Instead, all he could feel was supreme emptiness. He'd never see her again.

"Wait!" a voice cried out, bringing him back from the nothingness. He turned to Maka, his face wet. "I see something! It's faint but I'm sure she's still there."

"Oh thank god," Liz said.

A small murmur of relief came from Maka's scythe. "That's our Tsubaki."

Black Star smiled, his eyes still red as he said, "That's all I need to know." He stepped towards his partner.

"Black Star, wait!" Maka called out. Her voice was too loud, instantly drawing Tsubaki's attention. Her head inclined towards them, solid white eyes scrutinizing each of them.

"Listen to me," he began, his eyes fixed forward. "No matter what happens, promise me you won't let Tsubaki or Angela get hurt."

Maka nodded as Kid dropped into a defensive stance. Angela pouted. "I don't need protection," she replied, trying not to shiver under Tsubaki's unsettling gaze. "You better bring her back safe!"

He gave a thumbs-up and said, "Of course I will." He locked eyes with his partner as he approached her. His breathing was shallow and his hands were balled up at his sides. A low growl escaped Tsubaki's throat as two of her tendrils flew down and reared back in front of him. "I don't know what those bastards did to you," he said, "but I know you're still in there."

She growled again, her eyes narrowing.

Black Star wasn't dissuaded, smirking up at her as he said, "So don't you worry. I'm not giving up until I get you out of there!"

At once the living shadow became hostile, snarling violently as her two tendrils shot towards him. He dodged to the side with a quick step in time to see her other shadow limbs striking down. He leapt backwards out of range and landed with an inelegant tumble.

She hissed at him and arched back, refusing to be moved from her place. Her tendril had no such reservations. It stretched forward with great speed, ready to skewer him where he stood.

He sidestepped the blow easily and grasped the tendril with his bare hand. Solid white eyes widened and stared at him as the tendril ground to a halt in his grip. "Oh come on, Tsubaki!" Black Star shouted. "I didn't think it was possible, but you really must not remember me if you think you could stop the Great Black Star with such a pathetic attack!"

Her white eyes narrowed as he felt cold strands wrap around his hand. Smaller shadow limbs had splintered off her tendril and were gripping him right back. He struggled to pull his hand back when he saw her three free tendrils form up and streak towards him.

"Demon Hunt!" Maka cried as she brought the massive halberd blade down on the shadow limbs, severing them seconds before they hit their target. Tsubaki shrieked as her tendrils recoiled, the severed halves evaporating into nothing.

"What did I just get done saying?" Black Star shouted.

Maka made a sour face and said, "I'm sorry, would you prefer to have been shish-kebabed?"

He scowled right back. "You hurt her!"

"Technically speaking," Kid said, "the shadow limbs aren't Tsubaki. I'm fairly certain she'll forgive us if we manage to bring her back and save your ass."

"Yeah and what if you're wrong genius?" Black Star asked.

The living shadow before them roared. The stump of each tendril sprouted four new pointed limbs that stretched out and oriented towards them.

He blinked. "Okay so only hit the tentacles, got it?"

"Got it," Kid and Maka said in unison before all three jumped out of the way of a barrage of tendrils.

A cacophony broke out as the three meisters fended off the swarm of shadows. The sound of gunfire rang out the loudest as Kid showered the tendrils with bullets. Maka continued to hack at the limbs that drove for her while Black Star continued to dodge out of their way. All the while the shadow creature at the center directed the chaos. Her body twitched as more limbs split off and joined the carnage.

"So I know I got mad at you for butting in," Black Star said to Maka as he stood back-to-back with her. "But any time you want to start playing that dumb little tune of yours is fine with me."

"What do you think we've been doing?" Soul shouted back. Deep inside of his soul the weapon worked away at the ivory keys of a grand piano, creating a light but haunting melody. "It doesn't seem to be getting through to her."

"Man, what good are you two?" Black Star asked, drawing the ire of both meister and weapon. Maka sliced a shadow limb in half before she and Black Star separated to escape another flurry.

Kid held his arms akimbo as he fired into two different waves of shadow. "There's no end to these things!" he cried. "We need to bring this to a close before someone gets hurt!"

"Right," Black Star said with a nod. "You two clear me a way through this mess!" The blue-haired warrior didn't wait for them to respond before he charged forward.

"Wait what?" Maka barely had time to throw a witch hunt upwards and cut off an incoming shower before it reach Black Star.

He leapt over a strike from the right as bullets whizzed over his head to rout another barrage. "Just get me close enough to her and I'll give you your weak point!" he shouted.

"Got it," Kid said, his soul wavelength expanding as a single stripe in his hair connected. He fired around the room with dizzying speed, shadow limbs bursting apart wherever he pointed. Tsubaki's gaze shifted this way and that as she watched her tendrils explode. "How's that for an opening?"

"Show off!" Black Star cried as he leapt towards his partner. All he had to do was make physical contact with her and create a resonance. She was still focused on Kid's light show and hadn't even noticed him. He reached out with his hand as he descended, grasping for anything he could.

His feet hit the ground as his hand made contact with icy cold skin that was surprisingly round and soft. Both Black Star and Tsubaki looked down to find him cupping her breast.

"That..." Black Star said, a slight blush coming to his face, "is not what I was trying to do."

She whipped her head around and her long hair came to life, tresses wrapping around his shoulders and pulling him off of her. The hair rapidly stretched out, carrying him through the air and into the ceiling with a crash.

"I'm okay," Black Star said feebly.

"Dumbass," Maka said, shaking her head. Before she could even think of cutting him loose, new shadow limbs were striking for her. She cut three down and blocked another trio.

Black Star groaned as he felt more shadows wrap around his limbs and yank him out of an indent on the ceiling. He couldn't help but wonder why his soul wavelength hadn't reached her. Was it because she wasn't helping the resonance? He groggily watched as she slowly pulled him back down to her.

Kid was shooting down another swarm when he noticed Black Star's descent. "Hold on," he said, leveling his pistols on the strands of hair. "I'll-" his voice cut out as a stray shadow pierced his arm.

"KID!" Patty cried.

Pain shot through his entire body as he noticed two more barrages heading straight for him. "Damn it all!" he cried. Literally pinned down, he fired wildly into the shadows with only one pistol.

Black Star struggled against the shadows as they pulled him closer to Tsubaki. "Come on, Tsubaki," he said, "I need you to work with me here. You don't really want to spend the rest of your life like this do you?" White eyes, narrowed in fury, stared into him.

Maka twirled her scythe around as she spun, ripping through shadows with reckless abandon. At a momentary lull in their numbers she pointed her weapon towards Black Star and shifted the blade into a crescent of energy. Rather than unleash the attack, however, she froze.

"What are you waiting for?" Soul asked. "Cut him down!"

"He's too close," Maka replied. "What if I hit him? Or her?" Another wave of tendrils shot for her, forcing her thoughts back to self-preservation.

Black Star hovered inches away from the living shadow that his partner had become. He was so close yet he couldn't reach her. Shadows dug into his wrists and ankles, holding him back from her. "You don't want to do this," he said to her. "I know you and this isn't you."

Tsubaki regarded her captive with curious eyes. She raised a hand, her fingers tipped in sharp claws, and caressed one side of his face. Then she slowly raked her claws down the other side, leaving little trails of scarlet.

"Stop shutting me out!" He shouted, pulling against his bonds. Another tendril of hair shot out and wrapped tight around his neck. He gagged but continued to speak in a strained voice.

"I know you're scared. And mad." He lowered his eyes. "And you probably hate me more than anything right now. But if you don't let me help you right now you won't be able to live with yourself!"

She flexed her hand in front of him before slowly dragging a finger down his chest. Her claw came to a stop at the dead center of his sternum. She twisted it into his chest to create a shallow cut, a target to aim for as she pulled her hand back to deliver the final blow.

"Black Star!" Angela cried. She, Maka, and Kid watched Tsubaki's finger stretch out like one of her shadow limbs towards his chest with deadly speed.

He gritted his teeth and cried, "I'm not giving up on you! You hear me, Tsubaki!?" With what little strength he could muster he pulled himself as close as possible and delivered a headbutt to her forehead. He kept his head there as he said, "I know you wouldn't give up on me, right?"

A soft, sad note echoed through Maka's head. "Now Soul!" she cried.

"Right!" her partner replied, furiously slamming his fingers down on the keyboard.

Tsubaki blinked. The first thing she noticed was a pressure pushing against her forehead. Then there was music, a tune she was sure she had heard somewhere before. The black void around her faded out rapidly, replaced with a pair of hauntingly familiar green eyes.

Beautiful indigo irises appeared in her eyes. He felt his heart stop as he saw confusion spread across them. "Black Star?" he heard her say, her high voice practically angelic to his ears. Just saying his name brought memories flooding back into her. "Where are we?"

He smiled as he watched the shadows drain from her face, revealing his partner's frightened expression. "I knew you were still in there," he said, his voice weaker than he'd expected.

All around the facility, black tendrils slowly shrank away towards their source. Tsubaki's body returned to its original pale tone. The shadow tendril that extended from her finger retracted from Black Star's body, leaving a gushing chest wound in its place.

Her face grew even paler. "Oh god, Black Star!" she cried. She caught his body as he collapsed, cradling it against her chest as she dropped to her knees.

"It's okay, Tsubaki," he said, his voice even weaker than before. "Everything's... going to be..." was all he could manage to finish as his eyes closed.

She felt tears sting her face as she looked down at her dying partner and cried out his name over and over again.


	10. Bond

Failure. That's all he could think of as he stumbled through the empty halls away from the sounds of battle. He'd failed to revive her just as his predecessor had before him. Even worse, in his haste he'd led the DWMA's forces right to their doorstep. In all likelihood he was the last surviving member of Arachnophobia.

He stumbled on his way to the exit, bracing himself against the wall with his good shoulder. Was this really the end? What was the point of continuing on if he had no hope of seeing her again? Why even go on living, if such a wretched existence could truly be called living?

No, he thought to himself as his eyes looked down into his empty hand. As long as he drew breath there still existed the chance of restoring her. There were other options, other avenues to pursue. Even if they weren't as perfect as the girl, they were still possibilities.

Better still, this failure could prove useful. As long as the anomaly distracted the Reaper's thugs, he could slip out undetected. Perhaps he would even get lucky and she would destroy them, allowing him to disappear completely.

His fist tightened. He could rebuild Arachnophobia. There were anti-DWMA forces all over the world, more popping up every day as madness spread. He would find allies, resources, and technology to bring his dream to life. Arachne would live again!

"So you're the only one left, huh?" He froze at the sound of an unfamiliar voice. His gaze tilted to the side to find a silver-haired man with a large screw going through his head smiling at him.

The stranger wrapped an arm around him and said, "Now I heard that you've been experimenting on one of my students. Unfortunately for you, I'm the only one that's allowed to do that." He grinned. "And if you think I'm scary, you haven't seen my partner."

An electrical crackle brought his attention forward to a blonde woman with an eyepatch. A sinister black cylinder extended from her fist inches away from his face. "You have five seconds," she said with a scowl on her face, "to tell us where Tsubaki is before I turn your head into paste. Five..."

She didn't need to count any higher. "That way," he mumbled weakly and pointed back. "Just keep going until you hit the double doors."

The man with a screw through his head threw his arms to the side and said, "Hey, that's great! See Marie, I told you we could get directions." The blonde stomped off towards the labs. The screw-headed fellow, meanwhile, hugged him close and spun around. As he followed close behind her he said, "Now friend, let me ask you a question: How do you feel about shark skin?"

An overwhelming sense of dread crept into his mind as he was forced back in the direction of his failure. He was sincerely regretting not killing himself when he had the chance.

 

\\\\\

 

Tsubaki pressed her hands hard against Black Star's chest, blood oozing through her fingers. "Black Star!" she cried for what felt like the hundredth time. He still showed no response, his breathing becoming fainter as hers became more frantic.

What had she done? Her memories were a jumble. One moment she was losing consciousness, saying goodbye to everyone she loved, and the next she was killing the person she loved most.

All around her she could make out indistinct shouts from her friends, their voices full of worry. She prayed that this was all some horrible nightmare that she would awake from. It must have been. She couldn't even fathom wanting to kill him, much less committing the act. As she felt her tears hit her scarlet-dyed hands, however, she knew with terrible certainty how real the situation was.

She was vaguely aware of someone shouting orders and the tremor of footsteps coming closer. Her attention was so focused on her partner that she didn't even notice Doctor Stein until he was kneeling right in front of her.

"Give him to me," Stein said. She did hesitate as she passed Black Star to the doctor. Her vision began to tunnel as she watched him work feverishly to stop the bleeding.

"Kid, Kim and Jackie are waiting outside, I need you to bring them in now. Marie, I need a stable resonance going. Tsubaki, help me keep pressure on this wound." She wouldn't respond. How could she respond? She felt like her body was made of stone. The doctor looked up and spoke again. "Tsubaki? Tsubaki!"

"Tsubaki?" The sound of Kid's voice snapped her back to reality. She looked up across the hospital bed to see the young reaper standing there.

"Huh?" she asked, her mouth lolling open. "I'm sorry I didn't hear you."

Kid frowned. "I said you should get something to eat. I can keep watch while you're gone."

"Oh," she replied, her heart still racing. She shook her head and continued, "Thank you but I'll be alright."

He circled around the bed and past a chair upon which Angela reclined in deep slumber to stand next to Tsubaki. His manner was solemn as he said, "I wanted to talk with you about your decision."

She sighed. "I'm sorry Kid but my mind's made up. I appreciate everything the Academy has done for me but I can't stay here anymore." Her gaze drifted down to Black Star's unconscious form lying in bed. "As soon as Black Star's awake I'll tell him myself."

Kid followed her gaze to the blue-haired meister. "Do you really think that's what he wants?"

"It's not what I want," she replied. "It's like I told you. I can't be what he needs anymore, especially not after what I've done."

"He's not the only one you hurt, you know," he said. She regarding him with a confused look as he pointed a finger to his arm. "You didn't exactly go easy on me either."

Her eyes widened as she said, "Kid, I'm so sorry. I didn't even realize-"

He held up a hand and smiled. "I wasn't trying to make you feel guilty. I just wanted to remind you that no-one's holding a grudge." He placed a hand on her shoulder and added, "It wasn't your fault."

She bowed her head. "I can remember how I felt now. What I felt while I was suffering from madness."

"You can?" he asked, tilting his head.

She nodded and said, "Just flashes. I remember how much I liked it. How much I wanted to be that thing. How badly I..." Vivid memories of wanting to rip Black Star to pieces drifted into her mind. She shook her head and looked up at Kid. "I can't do this anymore. I'm so sorry, but I just can't."

Kid patted her on the shoulder one last time. "It's your decision, Tsubaki," he said, "but I think I speak for all of Spartoi when I say I hope you change your mind." He inclined his head to her, a sorrowful look on his face, before quietly stepping out of the room and leaving Tsubaki to her silent vigil.

She looked back down at her partner and wondered if he would be as forgiving when he woke up. Part of her hoped he wouldn't, if only to make her departure less painful for him. Either way, she knew it would be an unpleasant experience.

She yawned. Sleep had been hard to come by in the last two days yet she still struggled to keep her eyes open. She glanced at Angela's sleeping form and tried not to think about how the little witch would react to her decision. She knew it was the right choice, for Black Star and Angela and all her friends, but that wouldn't make it hurt any less.

Her head slumped against the bed as she reflected on this truth. It was the right choice. She repeated this over and over again in her mind as she drifted off to sleep.

 

\\\\\

 

There was blinding white all around him, an endless expanse of nothing stretching in all directions. With this sight came the sensation of falling through this infinite void. There was nothing around to stop him or slow his descent and nothing to help him understand his predicament.

For most, such an experience might have been terrifying but to the Great Black Star this was just another routine day. In fact it was almost boring. He rested his head against his hands and bobbed one foot up and down over his knee, reclining as he fell through the infinite abyss.

He has no idea where he was or why he was falling. All he really knew was that this place was in desperate need of some redecorating.

"Okay," he said to no-one in particular, "I get it already. Big bottomless fall to nowhere. What else you go?"

As though on command the blue-haired boy came to an abrupt and uncomfortable stop. Black Star grunted as he pushed himself up off the solid white surface no worse for the wear.

"Not exactly what I meant but whatever," he said as he dusted himself off. "A stop's a stop, I suppose." He scanned the area around him, looking for anything that might explain his situation or really anything of interest in this infinite snooze-fest.

Calling what he found interesting would be an understatement.

Tsubaki's pale form stood out clearly against the white infinity. Time seemed to slow down as his eyes fell on her. She looked absolutely beautiful yet unbelievably sad as she knelt against the white surface.

He wanted to call out to her but the words died in his throat as a whip struck across her back with a sharp crack. He heard her cry out in pain and saw chains around her hands and feet. He saw someone standing over her brandishing the whip.

In an instant his muscles tightened, his hands curling into fists. He charged towards his partner's tormentor with a war cry, ready to pulverize whoever dared to hurt her. As he drew closer to his enemy, however, his rage was replaced by confusion.

Standing behind her with a sinister grin on his face was another Black Star, a dead ringer for the original. His doppelganger drew back his instrument and delivered another lash to her back. She shrieked as he whipped her again and again, leaving bright pink marks wherever he struck.

Of course this just wouldn't do. There was only one Black Star and it certainly wasn't this jackass. Even ignoring that heinous sin he wasn't about to stand by and let this impostor continue to hurt Tsubaki.

"Yah!" he shouted as he drove a solid right cross through his doubles' smug face. Rather than create a fist-sized hole, however, his hand had quite literally phased through his head. The fist was clearly visible through his double's head as though the other Black Star were a ghost.

The one true Black Star knit his eyebrows as he tried to punch the faker twice more with the exact same results. "Arrgh!" he shouted as a kick passed right through him. All the while the doppelganger didn't even seem inconvenienced by Black Star's presence. He continued to smile like a maniac as he whipped Tsubaki.

"Come on," the imitation said, "I know you can scream louder than that!"

She screamed once more as the whip struck her before saying, "I'm sorry Master."

Black Star turned to her, his mouth hanging open. "Are you kidding me? Tsubaki, how the hell can you think this asshole is me?" he asked, extending an arm to said asshole. "I mean look at him! He's like two feet tall, his hair looks like he hasn't combed a day in his life, and that face! Just look at that ugly-"

He paused. In another situation he might have realized he had been insulting his exact double, but currently he had more pressing concerns. Tsubaki hadn't responded to his presence any more than the false Black Star had. Were either of them even real? Obviously the doppelganger was an illusion but did that mean she was too?

"Tsubaki?" he asked, hoping for a response. She continued to react only to the crack of the whip and her tormentor's voice. "Tsubaki please tell me that's actually you."

His hand trembled as he reached out to touch her shoulder. The sensation of warm skin against his fingertips made his eyes go wide. She quivered at his touch and hunched over.

"Please no!" she cried, turning her head away. "I said I'd let you do whatever you want but please don't touch me."

His outstretched hand was frozen in place. "You felt that?"

Her voice was wavering as she said, "I'm begging you. Whip me as much as you want, tear me apart, I don't care. Just don't touch me with those hands."

For a moment he couldn't bring himself to respond as he watched her on the verge of tears. He turned around to find his doppelganger had vanished. He looked back to her trembling form and asked, "Is that really how you see me?"

Her body stiffened. She was silent as she straightened her back and turned her head to find him crouching patiently.

"Black Star?" she asked hesitantly. Her face was red and her eyes were bloodshot but she couldn't stop herself from smiling. "Is that really you?"

He smiled right back and said, "The one and only."

She blinked tears out of her eyes. "But how?"

"I'll tell you as soon as I figure out where we are," he said, straightening to his full height and scanning the void. There didn't seem to be any exit nearby nor any tools lying around. Of course that suited him just fine. With his fantastic strength, he figured he could break her chains and punch them a way out in no time flat.

He was surprised to find the former wouldn't be necessary. Tsubaki took him by complete surprise as she scrambled to her feet, no longer bound by chains, and pulled him into a tight embrace.

"You're okay," she said, nuzzling into his shoulder.

Black Star rested his head against hers and brought his arms around her to return the embrace. "So are you." For what felt like an eternity they stood there holding each other, relieved that they were together again.

"Not that I'm complaining or anything," he spoke up as he felt his face flush, "but I just realized you're kind of naked."

She brought a fist up and playfully bopped him on the head. "Dummy," she said, still refusing to break the hug.

He began to look around their surroundings again as he said, "Seriously, though, where are we right now? Last time I was in a big white infinity, Kid and I ended up catching a giant octopus."

She pulled away from him at last and took a good look around. "I really don't know. I thought I was dreaming at first but if you're really here then I don't know what this is."

"Whoa, back up a minute," Black Star said. "You thought that was a dream? That looked more like a nightmare to me." He paused before adding, "Not that I would know anything about nightmares."

She raised an eyebrow. "You saw that?"

He nodded. "Caught the tail end of it. What the hell was that about?"

Tsubaki turned and took a step away from him, her arms crossed. "I just," she began but trailed off. She had never intended to tell him about any of this and these conditions were far from ideal. She didn't even know where to begin. He waited on her silence, concern outweighing his curiosity.

"I've been having a lot of dreams about you lately. All of them have been really unusual and scary and..." She stopped herself from saying the word arousing. "And I guess I just haven't figured out what to make of them yet."

His head tilted down towards the spot where he'd first found her howling in pain. "I guess that explains a lot. How you've been acting I mean."

"I'm sorry," she replied. "I know I've been a little distant recently." A look of regret crossed her face as she thought of how she'd reacted to his earlier requests.

"Don't be. I must look like a monster to you after what I did," he said, turning around just as she turned her head back to him. "I said I was trying to help you," he continued with a sullen smile on his face, "but I guess I was just doing whatever I wanted with you, same as always."

"Black Star..." she said softly.

"I'd never want you to be with someone you couldn't trust, Tsubaki. Or with someone who terrified you. If you can't stand to be around me anymore, I understand." There was no malice nor bitterness in his voice, only unwavering remorse. He reached up to wipe the tears from his eyes and said, "Just know that you'll always hold a special place in my heart."

He took one step away and froze as her hand grasped his. "Please don't go," she asked.

He turned around to face her and found her hanging her head, refusing to let go of his hand. "Tsubaki?"

"I was going to leave," she said, long bangs draped over her eyes. "I was ready to quit the Academy because I didn't think I could ever forgive myself for what I did to you. But just now I," her voice faltered for just a moment.

Black Star was absolutely silent as she said, "I feel like I've already lost you twice and I can't go through it a third time." She looked straight at him, tears and snot running down her face. "I know I'm being selfish. I don't even know if I'm any good to you as a weapon anymore. But please don't leave me alone again!"

Her eyes went wide as he quite literally took her breath away with a sudden kiss. It was about as awkward and uncomfortable as it sounds. She didn't seem to mind, though, passionately leaning into the unconventional first kiss.

His lips pulled away from hers with a pop. "I'll stay," he said, "as long as you want me to stay." She smiled. He felt a grin tug at his lips and said, "As if I'd ever want to leave the most important person in the world."

"What?" she asked.

"Oh that," he said, looking down sheepishly as he realized what he had said. "I just- Well, Maka was talking and I told her- Er, that is I said..."

He continued to stammer on for a few seconds as Tsubaki watched with an absolutely puzzled look. His face got redder and redder until at last he blurted out, "IjustsortatoldMakaandSoulyouwere- themostimportantpersonintheworldtome because... well, that's how I feel." His eyes darted to the ground and he said, "Oh hey look, infinite nothingness! That's exciting, excuse me for a second." He dropped onto his back with an exhausted sigh.

Tsubaki smirked. "Really? Even more important than the Great Black Star?"

"I'm still the strongest!" he cried, somehow growing even redder. "I mean, that's why you're the most important and everything."

"That's an impressive title," she said, not bothering to suppress her amusement. She kneeled down next to him and added, "I bet I'd get a lot of fans and admirers with it."

Black Star groaned and covered his face. "Rub it in why don't you?" He flinched as he felt something soft land against his chest. He looked down to find Tsubaki resting her head on him, her eyes closed comfortably.

"Alright then," she said, her voice contented. "I accept."

"You accept?" he said, raising an eyebrow.

She nodded. "Obviously I can't settle for just anyone as a partner," she said, looking up at him. "I need someone just as widely revered as I am. Someone I can trust my heart and soul with."

He nodded solemnly in agreement with her words for a moment. Then, quite unexpectedly, he threw his head back and made a loud, angry groan.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"I find you, I bring you back, we're together again and then some," he said, "And none of it matters because as far as I can tell we're still trapped in nowheresville!"

A soft chuckle escaped her lips. "It's not so bad. Like you said, at least we're together." He gave a noncommittal hmm. "And we are the only two people here," she added, her tone becoming playful.

"Yeah?" he squirmed slightly as his partner climbed over him, positioning her face right above his.

"You know," she said, a passionate smile on her face. "Not everything about my dreams has been frightening. Maybe I could give you a little demonstration?" She leaned her face down as he felt his instinctively drawn up to her.

" **I feel I should warn you** ," a booming voice echoed, " **That you are not as alone as you believe.** "

They turned to find the massive black and white form of a stag towering over them. Tsubaki immediately recoiled from atop her partner and stood straight up. "Sir!"

Black Star stayed sprawled out on the ground, slight curiosity playing across his face as he said, "Oh, Old Deer. You're here too?"

" **My soul is one with Tsubaki's** ," the Will of Nakatsuakasa said, " **I exist wherever she is.** "

The meister pushed himself up off the white surface and said, "Yet you only decide to make an appearance when things are getting steamy? Horny Deer Bastard."

"Black Star!" Tsubaki cried with a grimace.

The great stag inclined his head to her and said, " **It is alright Tsubaki. We owe this one a debt**." He turned his eyes on the blue-haired boy. " **Child of demons, I felt our soul drift into madness. You managed to pull her out before we could be consumed by it. Once I called you a demon yourself, yet you have persevered where I faltered**." He bowed his head to Black Star and said, " **I am grateful and humbled.** "

For perhaps the first time in his life Black Star found himself at a loss for words in the face of praise. He scratched the back of his head and shifted his feet before saying, "Yeah, I mean, it's no problem. I was really just trying to save Tsubaki but glad I could help."

"Hold on," Tsubaki said. "If you're here, does that mean that we're inside my soul right now?"

The Will of Nakatsukasa nodded and said, " **Correct. You are both unconscious and communicating through a resonance of souls. I had thought that obvious.** "

"Ah," Black Star replied. "It was not."

"So all we have to do to get out of here is wake up?" Tsubaki asked.

" **That is all you would need to do to escape, Tsubaki** ," the great stag said, his luminous eyes boring into hers. " **I cannot say if it will be as simple for Black Star. His body has sustained grievous harm. I can't say when or even if he will awake from his comatose state.** "

Her heart skipped a beat. She hung her head and quietly said, "No. No, that can't be true."

"Of course it's not true." A strong hand clasped her shoulder. Tsubaki turned to find Black Star grinning at her like an idiot. "You really think a little flesh wound is enough to keep a war god like me from coming back?"

The great stag looked to Black Star and said, " **You believe you will recover from this?** "

"Damn right I will," he replied, pointing a thumb at himself. "The real question is are you going to underestimate me again?"

The Will of Nakatsukasa closed its eyes. " **No. I have learned my lesson. We shall await your return with great interest.** "

Black Star laughed like a maniac. "You are really starting to grow on me, Deer. I suppose I should get started on my glorious return." He turned to face his partner, still grinning. "Right Tsubaki?"

Tsubaki was silent, her arms crossed tight over her chest. Her eyes were turned down as she at last said, "What if I just stay here?"

A distressed frown crossed her partner's face. "Tsubaki..."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and wild as she said, "Not forever! Just for a little while. Just until... until you come back? Isn't that okay?"

Black Star pulled her shivering form into a hug. He began to stroke the back of her head and said, "Don't stay still. We don't live in the past or in dreams, we keep moving forward. Please don't treat me like shackles."

She sniffled and hugged him back. "Just promise you won't be gone for too long."

He held the side of her face and gave her a deep kiss on the lips. As they reluctantly pulled away from the kiss, he replied, "Promise."

 

\\\\\

 

The smell of sweat and linen mingled in Tsubaki's nose as she stirred. Bright light poured from the windows and into her eyes, blinding her for a brief moment. She covered her eyes and felt around blindly. Her hand grazed the sheets underneath her and the chiseled torso underneath them.

Realization struck her as she pulled her face off her partner's torso. She looked over to Black Star, her heart pounding away in her chest. Her anticipation died down as she realized he was still asleep, still lost in his dreams. A sad smile crossed her face as she imagined poor Black Star bored out of his skull waiting in that limbo.

Not that it would stop him, she thought as she returned to her seat. She knew he'd come back to her. Even if she had to wait an eternity, she'd be there to greet him when he returned.

"Sorry," a weak voice murmured, drawing her attention back to the bed. Black Star looked back at her, a cocky smile on his face. "Took me a little longer than I expected."

Her eyes watered as she smiled at him. She threw her arms around him and said, "I forgive you."

"Spiky's back!" a high voice cried. Black Star grunted as Angela latched onto his arm. "You are so lucky big sis and screw head were there to help you!"

"Pfft," he replied. "I could have walked this off on my own, no big deal."

"Liar!" Angela cried back, tears coming to her eyes.

Another voice that he recognized as Kilik's called out from the doorway, "Hey, over here! Sleeping beauty's finally awake!"

The blue-haired meister sighed and whispered to his partner, "Jeez, so much for an intimate reunion huh?"

Tsubaki simply hugged him tighter and said, "Don't care."

 

\\\\\

 

"You really think he's back in fighting shape?" Soul asked.

Maka rolled her eyes and replied, "That idiot was doing push-ups before they even discharged him."

"Hmm, point taken," he said as they walked across the cobblestone street and up to a modest little apartment on the corner. He knocked at the door and was met with silence. "Looks like they're not home."

Maka's eyes widened. "Something's wrong." Without a second thought the pigtailed girl kicked in the door and stormed into the apartment.

Soul thought his jaw would hit the cobblestones. "Maka, what the hell?" he cried, charging in after her.

"Another attack," she called back, refusing to slow her pace. She came up to the bedroom door and said, "We might not be too late to-" She stopped seconds after sliding the door open.

He ran up beside her and looked into the room expecting the worst. What he hadn't been expecting was his friend Black Star shirtless with his hands tied up behind his head.

"Hey," Black Star said in a surprisingly level tone. "I'm not really up for visitors right now so get out."

Maka thought her jaw might drop through to the other side of the planet. "I-I thought you- and I saw your- and I was sure when you didn't answer," she stammered, trying to explain her actions. "Oh god."

"Maka," Soul said, raising his hand over her head. "I'll never have a better reason to do this so please let me enjoy it." He lightly chopped her on the top of the head and said, "Bad Maka."

"I thought they were in trouble!" Maka exploded, waving her hands in frustration.

Black Star remained incredibly calm as the argument continued. "So it's possible you didn't hear me the first time, but I asked you to leave."

Soul shook his head. "Sorry, man, I guess we're both still wound a little tight after the whole kidnapping fiasco."

"Wait a minute!" Maka cried, looking to Black Star. "I was sure I saw another soul in here." Soul looked skeptically from his partner to Black Star. The restrained meister shrugged his shoulders as best he could moments before a crash came from the direction of the armoire.

The armoire door opened with a creak as Tsubaki stepped out of it sheepishly. "Hi Maka. Hi Soul," she said with a wave, keeping her head down.

Black Star tilted his head to her and said, "See? You couldn't stay still in there. I told you weapon transformation was a better idea." Tsubaki nodded her head, still refusing to make eye contact with their guests who looked at the pair in shocked silence.

"So you two..." Soul began, not entirely sure how to finish that sentence. His attempt at speech was still better than that of Maka, who seemed frozen at this sight.

"Were enjoying a little privacy?" Black Star asked, frustration finally beginning to creep into his words. "Yes we were. So if you two would make yourselves scarce, we'd very much like to get back to it."

Soul and Maka murmured out awkward apologies and shut the door before quietly retreating from the apartment.

Tsubaki knelt down and began to untie the knots around her partner's arms. "Sorry," she said.

"Why, because our friends are inconsiderate jerks?" Black Star asked, posing what was perhaps the most ironic question in the history of the universe. "Forget them, let's get back to it."

She frowned and continued to work at the knots as she said, "Maybe we should take a break? It's not safe to stay restrained this long. You should give your arms time to rest."

Black Star hung his head and said, "I am never gonna figure out how to do this. How'd you get good enough to tie yourself up?"

She gave a soft laugh. "It just takes a lot of practice like anything. Don't worry, I'm sure you'll figure it out."

"Yeah I guess," he said, wriggling his arms idly as she continued to undo the ropes. "Are you sure this is what you want? You're not afraid of giving up control?"

She abandoned her ropework for a moment and swept around his side until indigo eyes looked into turquoise eyes. She placed a hand upon his cheek and gave a warm smile. "No. I trust you." Their lips met for a sweet, simple kiss.

"Sorry for barging in," an incredibly uncomfortable voice rang out, drawing both of their attentions to the doorway. Kid covered his eyes and tried to desperately exit the room. His way out was blocked by Patty, who held onto him for dear life as she giggled wildly. Liz simply stood there with an eyebrow raised and a smirk.

"This explains a few things," Liz said, stroking her chin as her meister screamed at Patty.

Tsubaki tried to look away from the trio as she felt her face heat up. Black Star felt a similar blush come to his face but wouldn't look away as he said, "Babe, go get a shovel and dig some graves. I'm gonna go murder our friends."


End file.
